


Starving

by Abitconcerning



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Abuse, Amy Santiago-centric, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anorexia, Anxious Amy Santiago, Bullying, Eating Disorders, Established Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago, Hurt Jake Peralta, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2020-01-15 04:20:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 22
Words: 37,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18491233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abitconcerning/pseuds/Abitconcerning
Summary: Amy is struggling to cope because of some vicious texts plaguing her and she has an unhealthy way of dealing with it. Jake has no idea and Amy intends to keep it that way. That is until someone from Jake's past wants revenge and knows that Amy is the best way to him.This is fairly depressing but it's exciting and I feel like it's different from most of the other fanfics I've read. could be triggering and has descriptions of rape and anorexia so you've been warned. Also this is set after the proposal but before the wedding for no particular reason.





	1. Amy?

It was 6:45 when Amy's alarm woke her up. She quickly switches it off before Jake would wake up as well. Amy looks over at Jake sleeping beside her. She watches his chest rise and fall and just seeing her fiance so quiet and at peace made her calm. She carefully brushed a little curl out of his face and gave him a little peck on the cheek. He didn't even stir.

She shuffled to the kitchen and set to work. This had become a routine for her over the last few months; wake up early, set out breakfast for Jake and make it look like she had eaten as well.  
It was easy enough.  
All she had to do was put a few Cheerios at the bottom of a bowl and a splash of milk, then you shake the bowl a little and leave it out for Jake to see. When Jake would wake up at around 7:15 he would see that his fiance had eaten and wouldn't get suspicious. Amy knew that he would freak out if he found out she hadn't had an actual meal in weeks, so it was more than important to her that he never found out. 

Amy turn on the shower in the bathroom and got in, feeling the water go from freezing to warm helped to wake her up and get her brain moving.

This "issue" had been going on for a while but what most people don't know is that it doesn't just happen, you don't just decide one day to stop eating, there's a lot of thinking about it beforehand:

You start to notice things you hate about yourself and compare it to others (for Amy it was her thick thunder thighs compares to Rosa's toned legs),   
then the start of diets and workouts (Amy tried juice cleanses and keto diets on top of cardio and Pilates to no avail), 

The second to last stage is realising the truth (Amy knows she's always been fit and healthy but still can't get the body she wants through any normal means), 

The last stage is obvious enough. 

As Amy steps out of the steamy shower she can hear Jake groan as he gets out of bed. She pulls an old orange towel around her and looks in the mirror. 

It's safe to say that Amy looks different, just looking in the mirror she can see that her arms are smaller and her face looks tighter but her skin has greyed slightly and she looks as though  she's in mild pain. Amy slips her hand under her towel to grab some of her stomach fat. 

"How?" Amy sighed as she felt the fatty skin on her fingers, she would have to up her workout and try more shots of apple cider vinegar. She also just lost any snacking privileges she had given herself for the next few days.

"Babe?" Jake knocked on the door "I need to get in there some point this year."

"Alright! alright! I'm going now"

Amy opens the door and sees Jake's goofy grin.

"Hey babe guess what?"

"What?" Amy said as she walked out the bathroom door.

"I love you" Jake grabbed Amy playfully, pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the cheek before getting into the bathroom. Amy smiled as she walked into their bedroom and started getting changed into her clothes for work. By the time peralta got out of the shower she was in her bra and trousers just buttoning up her shirt.

"Amy?" 

"Yeah?" Amy spun round to look at him while doing up the last few buttons on her shirt. She saw Jake look concerned, confused even.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, why?" Amy was trying to be cool and breezy, not exactly her strong suit.

"You just...you look like you've...um..have you lost weight?"

Amy tried to keep from beaming and turned back around to straighten her blouse in the full length mirror. So it was noticeable, I guess it's working after all.

"Um, maybe a bit. Didn't really notice."

The nonchalant way Amy was speaking sent alarm bells off in Jake's head and not to mention what he had just seen...

He had seen Amy's ribs as she was getting changed, and it scared him a little. Obviously she has never been fat but you had never been able to see Amy's ribs on her stomach before. The clear lines on her stomach looked like slit marks from a knife, they were deep and he couldn't ignore them. He tried to keep the thought out of his mind but it lingered in the back of his head. The image of Amy slowly shrinking into herself. Even so, he dropped it and they went about their normal routine.

Work went the same as always, nothing important or worth mentioning happened but Jake kept looking at Amy during the day trying to discern what Amy was thinking.

At lunch he offered to take her somewhere to eat.  
"Oh, i'd love to but I've got a lot of work to do right now but definitely sometime this week."

For two weeks Jake heard excuses like this. At lunch it was easy for Amy to hide behind work but at the apartment she would feign headaches, cramps and anything else to get out of eating. Jake had started to Google signs of an eating disorder and how to help. He was close to confronting Amy, but he wanted to be sure. Why stress her out with something that may not even be true? Though one day she said she had plans, she was going out with her friend Bethany to get dinner then see a movie.

"Thank god!" Jake thought to himself "this was getting out of hand, itleast he knows  she is eating breakfast every morning and dinner tonight. What's a missing meal every once in a while?" He let the thought go and everything was right again. Jake later realised he had let 2 weeks of worry go after one conversation. He was desperate for Amy to be ok. Which is why he decided to believe her.

Amy walked through Brooklyn, tracking her calorie burn on her Fitbit. She checked the times for the cinema and made an alarm to ensure she would be home roughly 15 mins after the latest movie there. This way she could burn up to 600 calories while Jake thought she was away filling up on carbs. She noticed him looking at her strangely during the day and at night he seemed fixated on seeing her stomach. He might be a good cop, but he's an obvious one. 

But it doesn't matter. She has two hours of walking to sort out her problems.

DING

Amy's phone buzzes in her pocket. She pulls it out an sees a text message from an unknown number.

 

 

So that was the first chapter and just a heads up it gets a bit dark. But you know it helps me to work through my issues by making characters work through issues.


	2. Texts

Amy's phone buzzes in her pocket. She pulls it out and sees what she knew it would be.

It was a text. From an unknown number.

"Fucking fat whore," it read, " You know your controlling manipulative personality is the least of your problems, hell you can hide all your huge flaws behind those thighs!"

Amy felt her throat grow dry and rhaspy and she tried to choke back her tears as she looked through all the other texts she'd received from this person. All roughly the same theme.

"Obese slut!"

"You look like a truck"

" Your boyfriend must be into fat chicks"

Although unimaginative, these texts hurt. These were the reason Amy was struggling. Her first one was about three months ago and she's gotten itleast two a day ever since.  
After a while Amy looked up from her phone to see the sparkling lights of New York accompany the twilight stars. She pushed her phone back into her pocket and tried to use it as motivation. But as she walked through the empty streets a few tears escaped.

At home Jake was watching Die hard 4 while guzzling on some buttered popcorn. Amy walked through the door looking a bit frazzled.

"Hey babe, I really just need to get to bed. I think I ate too much" she hurried past him into the bedroom without looking up, trying to hide her tear stained face with her hands.

"That's ok, you don't need to apologize" Jake could finally rest his mind, whatever had happened was a phase. And Amy was better now.

"I'll be there in a minute ok babe?" Jake called into her.

Amy put her phone down on her dressing table, not wanting to look at it. 

In the morning she did her usual thing but this time with eggs and toast, a much more filling breakfast, well if she was eating it. She just cut some of Jake's breakfast off and onto her plate to look like left overs.  
When Jake woke up and saw the eggs and leftovers on Amy's plate he sighed with relief. Everything is back on track.

"Amy!" He called into the locked bathroom, "I love that you're cooking for me in the morning but you don't need to all the time. I'm a grown up!" He laughed.

Amy felt completely overwhelmed at work, her mind was swimming. She snapped at Rosa and Charles when they asked if she was okay. (Charles said she looked a bit under the weather and Rosa made a comment about how pale she was. Her claustrophobia was acting up as well. She had not had a case outside the presinct in too long and it was messing with her head.

At lunch she said she needed to clear her head with a walk out of the precinct. Jake smiled and called out after her,

"Make sure you get something to eat!" Although she knows he means well, Amy wishes Jake would just let her do her thing.

This morning Amy had been greeted with a new stream of messages. She left her phone in the precinct to get away from the abuse. As she slipped through alleys and cars, Amy didn't notice a car following her. It was an old Volvo creeping along the road, never too far behind. Finally Amy had to stop in an alley because she was out of breath, Obviously, because she had no energy. The Volvo door opened and two men walked out.  
"You take the south exit, I've got the north. Lets trap this bitch"

Jake looked at his watch. Amy was missing out on being early. At first he smiled to himself, it was funny how well he knew her, but his stomach twisted. Something was wrong. 

Amy was practically wheezing on the side of a bin. The two men started walking ominously towards her, one in front one behind. Blocking all exits. She didn't even notice them until they were practically on top of her.

"What's a fine piece of ass like that doing all alone?"

Amy scoffed and looked up at the person who spoke but immediately jumped back. It was one of Jimmy figgis' men. One of the only ones that escaped trial. No, not one, two. Either that or her vision had gone double. Which was seriously a possibility.

"Get away from me, I have a gun" she snarled, "Don't try anything you're gonna regret."

"Look here doll," one of the men purred at her, "Jimmy needs revenge on Jake peralta and you're the best option."  
He smiled maliciously, "Just think of him going crazy trying to find you. Eventually he'll snap. He'll either off himself or come work for us in exchange for you."

"Either way, we win" the other man smirked 

"Are you being serious? Just leave now! I could have you both arrested for threatening a police officer,"

"That's not an option, hun"

The two men started to move in on her and Amy panicked. She fought against them but they were far stronger than her. 

"I love a fiesty Latina,"one of the crooks laughed. He duck taped her mouth then tied her hands and legs out in the alley. Amy almost passed out from the struggle. They grabbed her gun and lifted her into the boot of the car. Amy was almost sick when she realised she could feel the sensation of them gropping her breast and her ass as they dropped her into the boot.

"Give me a sec," one of the men unbuttoned Amy's blouse before getting impatient and ripping it off, throwing it to the ground. she was just in her bra and trousers in the boot. They closed the boot door, leaving a claustrophobic Amy in the dark with tears running down her face.

"This is not happening," she kept repeating to herself.  
She's a detective, she shouldn't be so easy to abduct, How did this happen? What about Jake. She would rather be trapped forever with these punks than let him ruin his life getting involved with them. All of these thoughts swirled around her head as she struggled and pulled on her restrictions.

Jake was officially scared. Amy was late by half an hour. This was serious, everyone in the precinct was beside themselves with worry. Jake cursed himself for letting Amy go by herself. He practically ran into Holt's office. 

"Sir Amy has been gone for half an hour, we have to send someone out to look for her and fill out a missing persons report"

Holt looked up from his paperwork, "Yes, I have noticed Amy's lack of punctuality, but you forget what counts as 'missing' Peralta and what counts as "late". We can't just fill out these forms whenever we want. There are certain rules. For all we know she just got stuck in a line for food or is.."

"Lying passed out on the street," Jake cut him off.

Captain Holt put down his work and looked up at Jake,

"Peralta that's absurd," Holt was genuinely shocked at how quickly Peralta had accelerated the situation, "Amy is one of my finest cops why would she be in any situation remotely related to that?"

Jake wanted to tell Holt about his suspicions but he didn't know if they held strong enough ground to stand on. Hadn't he just been saying that Amy was better? That he didn't need to worry?

Holt saw the cogs in Jake's brain whirr and the concerned look in his eyes.

"Peralta if you have any reason to why you are expecting the worse you should tell me."

Jake sighed, "I think Amy might be starving herself."

Holt was surprised, this didn't sound like the Amy that he knew.

"I haven't seen her have lunch for, wow, well over a month now, I can't remember the last time we had dinner together and I always assumed she had breakfast because she was always awake earlier than me but I'm beginning to think she just made it look like she had eaten..."

"Peralta I need you to be certain before I start investigating Amy. Is there anything else?"

"You can see her ribs through her stomach clearly,"Jake shuddered, "too clearly,"

"Now that you mention it, I think a few signs might have slipped my notice." Jake noticed the almost scared look in Holt's eyes for the first time in his life,

"She is constantly cold, her skin is greying slightly and she started to make mistakes on her paperwork."

"Great! Well no wait obviously that isn't great but it's great that you understand my worries. Now we can file a report."

"Hold it peralta, I too want to file a report straight away but we do have rules. If in six hours Amy is still gone we will file a report then. Not a moment before."

Jake sat at his desk and eatched the clock for almost six hours straight he didn't look at his work or get involved with any conversations the others were having. Terry was worried and Rosa had noticed Jake being weird as well, they had assumed the Amy situation had been worked out by the way Jake had calmly walked out of the captain's office.  
Charles was full on psychotic trying to distract Jake. None of them knew about Amy, all they knew was that she wasn't here and Jake was scared. Which scared all of them. 

Finally the clock hand hit target.

Time was up.

Jake walked straight into Holt's office, pushing passed Boyle who was in the middle of a very long convoluted story about Nikojaj's eating habits.

"Captain," Holt looked up.

"I know, I began the report 20 minutes ago."

After the report was finished, Holt gave it to a very confusedTerry to brief the rest of the cops.

"Okay nine nine, we have a missing officers case. It's an officer called..oh god,"  
Terry looked up at Jake who was staring into the distance and fiddling with a piece of paper.

Everyone else could guess who it was. Rosa started muttering in Spanish. Boyle was chattering to himself. Gina started to bite her lower lip and Hitchcock and Scully were silent for once.

"Amy Santiago," Terry continued, "She was last seen inside the nine nine presinct. May be collapsed or unconscious due to a...susupected..um.. eating disorder" Terry exhaled on the last word and cleared his throat because it became thick with emotion.

Everyone was dead silent. Eyes all glued to Jake.

"She has been missing for six hours and she does not have her phone but does have her gun so we assume she hasn't been abducted. However, If you find evidence of an abduction you will not hesitate to inform myself or the captain. You will all be on the case but Rosa and Jake are primarys." Terry looked deflated, "that's all"

They all sat in silence for a while. Rosa was kicking herself for not noticing Amy behaving weirdly. Boyle was starting to realise that he couldn't remember the last time he saw Amy eat. 

"Jake," Terry started.

"Nope, sorry I can't." Jake got up and rushed out of the room, knuckling a tear away from his eye. 

He was so fucking stupid. Why would he just let Amy go. He grabbed Amy's phone on the way out. Especially without her phone, anything could have happened. He kept walking until he was out of the precinct all together. Why would he just let all his suspicions go? For no good reason as well? He was better than that-

 

DING - it was Amy's phone

"What the fuck is this"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I am so beyond thrilled at the comments and the amount of people who liked the story so far. You have no idea how happy it makes me to read those comments, so please leave more. Even if you're just going to tell me you think I should change the story I would love to hear your opinion.
> 
> Also, a lot happened in this chapter but the action does stay pretty consistent in the story (I have 14 chapters finished) I will most likely upload the next part tomorrow.
> 
> EDIT: so basically a few paragraphs doubled for some reason? I don't really know why but it should be fixed now. If it isn't please let me know.


	3. You better watch out

Jake stormed back into the precinct and shoved his way through to Holt's office. Terry called after Jake but the office door was slammed and cut him off.

"Look at this!" He practically screamed at a startled Holt

There had been two unread messages on Amy's phone and three messages altogether that day.

The first one that Amy had read said:  
"watch out you fat fuck I can see you, then again you're huge so who in brooklyn doesn't see you!"

The next one that Amy hadn't read was  
"I can see you bitch we are right behind you, run little piggy run"

Then the last one:  
"You better watch out, there's no escape. You can't get away from us."

Jake felt like throwing up. When he had entered Amy's password to her phone he wasn't expecting anything like that. But as he scrolled further back he could see all the texts she had received. Hundreds.  
Then he stopped on the first text. It read:  
"I saw you deep-throat a burrito today with your boyfriend, trust me that's not the deep-throat he wants! I bet he's as disgusted by your eating habits as we are. If you want to keep him you better learn to shape up."

Jake remembered that day. It had been a really crap day for Amy, her perp had gotten out of the holding cell when some idiot left the keys within reach, and all of her paperwork on him had gotten lost or more likely stolen by him as he made his great escape.  
Jake wanted to make Amy feel better so he took her to her favourite burrito place and ate the hottest burrito there to make her laugh as he sweated through his eyes. It had been one of his best memories with Amy. He wanted to do it again that weekend but Amy said she didn't want to get lunch that day and walked away from him, Jake had been hurt because he thought she didn't want to do anything with him. He had been so concerned with the thought that she was loosing interest he didn't even stop to think of any other explanations.

I'm such an idiot!

Jake's mind was over flowing. Had she really taken these texts seriously? And why not report them? Or itleast block the number? But what hurt the most was that she didn't tell him. He could've protected her from all of this.

Holt scrolled through the messages his face slowly hardening.

"Get the rest of the squad in here, NOW." Holt's shout made Jake jump and he was yanked out of his depressing daydream.

When everyone was rounded up into his office, Holt began to talk.

"Santiago's disappearance is now being treated as an abduction. We have new evidence which shows threats to Santiago and pretty damning evidence that these.. Punks have her." Holt almost spat on the word 'punk' as he grew angrier.

The phone was passed around all of the team. When Rosa got it she took a minute to scroll, then she saw a text that made her blood run cold,

" Hey there fatty, we just wanted to show you a side by side of you and the stunning Rosa Diaz."  
Below was a picture of Rosa's legs next to Amy's which had obviously been enlarged on some cheap Photoshop. The images had been taken from some photos they had done for the newspaper after herself and Amy had busted a major drug ring. Amy had been so excited to get her photo taken and in the newspaper picture you could see that she was ecstatic. But in this picture she was cropped so you could only see her legs. She wasn't a person in this picture, she was just a body. A body that was being ridiculed. The criminals had circled areas of Santiago's legs which were "too fat" or "not toned enough."  
After the image there was a text saying,  
"don't be mad at us, we re just helping you reach your goals #thinspo"  
Rosa hadn't realised she had been staring at the phone for a good five minutes. When she pulled her eyes up from the phone everyone was staring at Rosa as she appeared to either be on the cusp of crying or of stabbing someone, most likely the latter. But Jake understood.

"The comparison one?" He asked and looked at Rosa  
Rosa looked down at the phone again, "Bastards"

 

In the boot of the car Amy was hyperventilating, what was she meant to do? She was trapped without her phone or her gun in a psycho's car who wanted her boyfriend dead. She didn't understand what they wanted with her though. 

Sure, she would be a good bait for Jake but then what. 

They wouldn't just have her around until Jake found them. And what if he never found them. Would she be killed or....no! Amy unwillingly started to remember the side business that Jimmy was rumoured to have; Sex trafficking.

No no no no no.

Amy felt hot tears come spilling out. She couldn't cry, she can't cry. It'll show that she's weak and easy to manipulative. She needs to appear tough. Even though this was all going horribly wrong. 

She pulled herself from one frightening topic to another; what about Jake? 

Had he noticed she was gone yet? Amy has no clue how long they had been driving but it had to be for over an hour. People rarely come back from secondary locations. Amy knows this. And after twenty four hours most police officers treat abductions as murders.

Back at the precinct the whole force was working on getting Amy back. Boyle was out showing her picture to any passers by. Terry was looking at Amy's computer and phone for any sort of routine or searches that would lead somewhere. (All he found were stomach churning searches onto websites with names like "pro-ana" in the title. All on her phone of course. Amy wouldn't want any traces left at work.)  
Rosa was out trying to trace where Amy went on her walk. And Jake was helping Holt contact other precincts to see if they would help. 

Twenty minutes later Rosa arrived back and with some sort of filthy rag jn her hand. 

" I think this is Amy's. It's ripped and I found it in this alley. There's a CCTV camera there that we have access to." Rosa gave all the details of the alley to Holt as Jake held Amy's blouse in his hand feeling the soft material on his fingers and smelling the slightly citrus flavour. He almost smiled. Almost. 

Holt pulled up the CCTV footage on his computer and the rest of the team came back in to watch. They saw Amy not notice the Volvo following behind her and the two thugs clear as day saying, "You take the south exit I'll take the north. Lets trap this bitch."

The conversation between Amy and and the men made Jake die a little inside as the phrases floated around his head. But then he stopped and froze when he heard the name he hasn't even thought of. Oh, but it had to be. Who else could it be?

"Jimmy Figgis wants revenge on your boyfriend and you're the best option,"

The room seemed to shake and move under Jake's unsteady feet. It was his fault. He was the reason Amy could be lying dead in a ditch. Because he pissed off a gang leader. Jake knew the kind of things they do to women. Horrible stories of rape and torture leading to sex trafficking. And they had found Amy's blouse. Why would they leave this here? Do they want us to find them. Or are they leading us somewhere? They should have known if there was a CCTV camera there, Jimmy Figgis runs a tight ship. Everything has a purpose. So what was this one?

He watched helplessly as his girlfriend was lifted with zero effort, she couldn't even fight back properly. This was their plan. It had to be, make her an easy target. They were definitely the ones texting her. Fucking bastards

He watched in agony as they groped his fiance and finally ripped off her blouse to reveal the ribs on her stomach that kept him up at night. No one watching in the office missed the clear contours on Amy's stomach as she was tied up and put in the boot of the car. As they drove away Terry made a note of the liscence plate number.

"Jake, I want you to go home." Jake stepped back. Holt looked him dead in the eye and said,

"Peralta, we will have to watch this footage over and over again until we find a lead. I don't think you can handle this. You are too close to the case. Tomorrow morning I'll call you in and we can start scouting for known locations for Jimmy Figgis' men, but right now it's best if you go home."

Jake ignored the captain's orders and instead started muttering to himself, " I don't understand,"

"Jake-"

"Jimmy is in prison, this means it's just his men that are working this."

"Jake, stop-"

"But what do they care about me, no one is that loyal-"

"Peralta, that's enough!" Holt grabbed the detective by the shoulders and shook him, "look me in the eye,"  
Jake stared at the ground,  
"look at me!" Holt shook him again until he looked up at him. A heartbreaking mix of sadness and anger filled Jake's eyes. The captain was taken aback for a moment. Never had he seen his star detective so helpless and desperate. This was hitting Jake in a way that he could only imagine.

"Go home," he said softly, "That's an order"

 

The car finally pulled over and Amy felt herself being pulled out of the boot. She had her eyes closed in the boot of the car because it was the only way to prevent herself from having a panic attack. She was no longer crying, she pushed that emotion to the side, but it was impossible for her to not be claustrophobic. She had spent her time in the backseat of the car planning escape routes and opportunities. Lucky for her it seemed like one was presenting itself.

She felt the cold air outside blow softly against her skin as she was roughly grabbed and moved. Amy opened her eyes to try and figure out where she was but only saw herself being put straight into the backseat of the car, her legs dangled outside of the car door and she faced the car ceiling on the old leather seats. 

She looked around wearily. The car had a driver's seat and a passangers seat but the back seat that she was lay on faces away from the driver and towards another set of seats facing forwards towards the front of the car.

She could see another man in the car. Three in total. They sat opposite her. One of them was videoing her as she lay tied up. Why the hell would they want video evidence of them kidnapping a police officer? Are they that dumb?

It doesn't matter. Amy cleared her head and focused. In the boot of the car Amy had worked on loosening her ties as much as possible. She could now remove her legs easily from the binds, but she couldn't alert them that she could escape.

"Alright let's have some fun" the man who had lifted her into the backseat of the car was now standing over her, outside the car.

Amy felt him pull at her trousers. She struggled a little, but kept up the helpless act, "just a bit longer," she thought to herself, " Just don't let him get too far".

One of the men chuckled as she tried to pull away from her attacker. Amy tried to twist her head to see him, she recognised the voice but she couldn't place it. She tried to look up but she couldn't see him and the effort made her dizzy. She needed something to eat. Even she could see that now.

Though she couldn't see the man who was chuckling she could now easily see the man who was at her legs The man tugging at her trousers had an eager look on his face that terrified Amy. 

"Geut ofmh megh" Amy struggled to talk through the duck tape on her mouth. That chuckle again.

Okay, enough is enough.

Amy quickly released her legs from the bonds and kicked her attacker in the jaw, a sickening crack echoed around the car. She struggled to get up but managed to get out of the car and run a few metres before being flung to the ground.  
The man she had kicked grabbed onto a loose rope around her hands as she ran and had yanked her to the floor with it. He was now dragging her on the ground back towards them. The rocky ground cut into Amy's back and she could feel a some blood trickle down. 

Once she was pulled close enough the brute pulled Amy off the ground by the ties on her hands. She hung off his hands as limp as a rag doll.

"Never. Do. That. Again." 

Before she knew it she was back on the ground of the car getting her trousers fully pulled off.

"Make sure you get this on camera," He lay himself on top of Amy " you're safe, hun just lie still," he whispered mockingly into her ear. Amy just lay there. Helpless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this chapter is a little intense... Well it's meant to be.  
> All of the comments are so encouraging, thank you so much!  
> So I have about 14 chapters finished and waiting to be published so I will probably post once a day if possible. That being said, I'm not finished at 14 chapters.  
> See you next time


	4. Numb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake tries desperately to find Amy, even though he's been told to go home by his captain.

Jake lay alone in bed, everything velvet black. 

 

Curtains closed, lights off. He can't think straight. He should be worried about invitations to his wedding, which is in a month. Not if his bride will live to see the day. This is hell. No one can help him to feel better because the only way to feel better is to see Amy by his side. To feel her breath on his neck. To hear her laugh or her stories. But now Jake was realising that wasn't all of Amy. She had a side she was too ashamed to show him. As if would judge her. He could never. And if she ever comes back,will she still not trust him?

Jake sat up in his bed. He was spiralling. If he was going to stay at home all day the least he could do is his research. Find more evidence. He had to leave Amy's phone with the captain but she has everything backed up onto icloud. Maybe there would be some emails or something he could trace. He still didn't understand why they were being so sloppy. Jimmy Figgis would be furious if he knew they had left evidence at a scene.

First though. Jake walked into the kitchen and started rummaging around. He had to find something to piece all of this together. Amy was not dumb enough to just take some random person texting her as gospel. It didn't take long before he found the cabinet. It was a small mahogany cabinet that was pushed away to the corner of the room. It was low to the ground so Jake had to kneel down to inspect it .  
He had never gone into it before. He always assumed it held period products or something private so he kept out. And Amy had locked it when he moved in with her, so it wasn't like he could have looked around in there if he wanted to.

Jake could not be bothered trying to find a key, so instead he took a hammer to it and watched the metal lock crumple and fall away. He pulled the wooden doors open and sat in front of the cabinet looking at its contents in defeat. Inside he found laxatives. Meal replacements. Pictures of models. And a leather book. it was small enough but heavy with writing. The first page was dated almost six months ago.

03/04/19  
I hate the idea of writing in a book all my feelings and problems, it makes me sound like some cliché teenage lead in a cheesy romance, but this is something even I admit is getting out of control.

I don't know what to do. I can't let Jake worry about me but I can't tell anyone but him. It's just something I have to keep a secret. No one can know. After dinner today with Jake I felt sick. Not in a way as if I'd eaten something off or bad. It was just I felt as though I was bad. I went to the bathroom and threw up. It felt really good to be cleansed from whatever fatty thing we had been eating. I know it's bad but I can't help--

 

Jake slammed the book shut.

He had to stop reading. An overwhelming feeling of shame hit him and left him gasping for air. How did he let this go so far? She's been feeling like this for a while, and somehow the gang found out and decided to exploit it. No one should ever feel this way. Hell, if there was a random person outside that Jake knew was starving themseves he would give them a hug, even if he didn't know them. But his girlfriend? His future wife? How was he meant to deal with the fact he was too lazy to notice she had been struggling. And on top of that she's gone now, possibly forever. Because of him. He could hear his head thumping. He rested his head in his hands and curled himself into a ball, leaning against the cabinet of pain. What did he do to deserve this?

 

*Click*

 

It was all over, video taken, the man off of her (she now knew his name was Sam because of how the others cheered him on) and she lay, mascara smeared down her face. Back in the boot of the car. It was pointless now. She had lost all respect for herself. And it was on VIDEO. Who knew what they were going to do with it. She wouldn't struggle anymore. She would accept it, because if you don't fight them then it's not technically.... If she never said no then maybe... I mean you couldn't call it... whatever.

All she could do was picture Jake. Who would be disgusted with her now. He wouldn't want her anymore. She never understood how in movies after something like *that* happened to a girl they would feel so filthy and wrong. It want their fault. Why did they feel that way? But now she understood. How could anyone love someone who went through that. She was damaged goods. Amy tried to block out all the thoughts that came crashing down on her. She knew it was ridiculous to think that Jake would somehow stop loving her because of what happened. But what if she became too damaged to really love him back? He would never leave her. But what if she made him miserable? It slowly dawned on Amy she was running on the assumption that she would be found. Or she would escape. But what if she's never found. Or doesn't live to see Jake again.

 

Jake was on his laptop searching through Amy's cloud. It was mainly just cute pictures of the two of them or little games on her phone that she got bored of but felt too guilty to delete them. It was a little quirk that Jake adored about her. One of the millions of microscopic things that made Amy, Amy.  
But a small portion was her dark Google history and the texts. Those god forsaken texts.  
All of a sudden everything shifted one picture further up. Jake quickly scrolled to the top. A new picture was sent? Who would be sending a missing person a picture? God, was it Kylie? He did not want to explain to her that her best friend was kidnapped.  
Unless it was someone who knew the police had her phone. Who wanted to torment him. Who wanted Jake to collapse into himself.

He didn't watch it, he knew what it was from the starting frame. He should feel something, he should feel anything but numb. But he didn't. All of this was happening. It was actually happening. His girlfriend had been... by some guy who was hell bent on making Jake sorry. And Jake could do nothing about it. Jimmy Figgis was in jail. That was a fact. And no amount of negotiating could result in Jimmy being exchanged for Amy. He was trapped in a corner.

 

A thought crossed Jake's mind about the video, if he had it. That meant so did captain Holt. As if on que, Jake got an incoming call from Terry.

 

"Jake, I.."

 

"I saw it."

 

The line crackled while neither men spoke

"Do you want to come back in?"

"I'll be there in ten." Jake hung up.

He looked back up at the video, she looked like she was mainly out of it which was something. But she was still awake. And she felt it. She was alone and she felt it. She felt him grope her and she felt his breath on her neck as he-

 

Jake started sobbing over his laptop. The burning tears fell onto the laptop trailed down his face into his mouth. His breath was ragged. And his eyes were underwater. He cried for a while. Too long. Eventually he licked his cracked lips and the salty taste of the tears woke him up. 

He let himself replace his sadness with anger and determination. 

"This bastard is gonna pay"

Jake grabbed his coat and left for the precinct. His face stone and his eyes cold. But the tear tracks remained.

Amy felt some blood trickle down her legs and wondered how long the pain would last. Her head was numb, she hadn't cried since being first abducted. Not even when the gorilla was on top of her. She could feel all her emotions crashing down on her, the only thing she could focus on was Jake. Was he okay, oh god if he's done something stupid....

The car screeched to a stop. This time when she was lifted out they covered her eyes with a cloth. She was lifted into a body bag and carried in somewhere. Amy didn't struggle, she just lay still. No point in wasting energy. She would need it if she ever had the opportunity to escape again.  
She heard metal floor clang against the heavy feet of her attackers. 

"Did you get the package?"

"She's in the bag?"

"God, how is she?"

"Fiesty, but I broke her in, if you know what I mean."

"But she's in one piece?"

"Barely," another voice sniggered

"Just about" that voice, who was it?

"Good work Sam, Mark and -"

Holy shit" Amy whispered 

 

Back at the precinct everyone was studying the video of Amy and Sam. Even Jake. He worked hard to keep his feelings out of it. Even though he died a little bit inside everytime he heard one of Sam's grunts.

"Stop!" Jake was pointing at the screen Everyone looks at Jake, has he finally snapped? Even Rosa was starting to look sick, Terry on the verge of tears and Charles hadn't been able to watch the video more than once. He was now outside the office with Gina trying to calm him down.

"The video, I recognise someone, rewind a little,"

Holt complied.

"There, that fucking prick." 

Everyone leaned in and saw Teddy, Amy's ex. Laughing as his friend raped Amy. The video was paused at a half second, it was the only moment in the video that a face beside Amy's was visible.

Jake wasn't red or foaming at the mouth but he was grinding his teeth and looking at Teddy's smiling face with such intensity even Rosa was looking a little frightened. 

"How does he think he's gonna get away with this?! How does he stand by and let this happen to Amy?! He's still in love with her for GODS SAKE!"

 

There was silence as everyone took in what had just happened. Amy was surrounded by sadists. The scum of the earth.

"Maybe that's why," Holt shrugged

"That makes no sense, Captain.."

"Think about it, revenge, sure the whole operation is based on Jimmy Figgis wanting revenge but Teddy would get involved to get back at Amy"

Jake was silent. 

"It does make sense Jake." Terry chimed in

"It's not about it making sense, okay? I'm not angry because it doesn't make sense! It's about the fact that there used to only be one person who wanted to hurt me and in order to hurt me they were going to hurt Amy. That's bad enough. But now there is someone who wants to hurt Amy. DIRECTLY!" 

Jake paced up and down office ranting,

"and there is no escaping it. And did you see what they did to her? Did Jimmy tell them to do that? Or were they working off of their own free will? If that's what they will do, what will Jimmy Figgis order them to do?"

No one knew how to answer. Terry looked down awkwardly at his feet, opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it again. Jake was like a son to him and it was killing him to see Jake so lost. At that moment he caught himself wondering if Jake would be like that forever? The odds of finding Amy are not good. It's been a little over 14 hours since she went missing. In another 10 hours him and the captain will have to make the call if they continue to track Amy or start treating it as a murder. He really didn't want to be the one to make that decision.

Rosa sucked on her gums and thought to herself all the times she was vicious or cruel to Amy for no reason. All the times she made fun of Amy for being herself. God, when is she a bad person? If she had been a little nicer maybe Amy wouldn't have been as unstable as she was when the texts started flooding in.  
Gina was thinking something similar from the doorway.

 

"Jake I'm assigning you and Boyle to investigate the 97" Holt spoke without acknowledging Jake's speech

 

"The 97? But that's.." 

Boyle had come back into the room when he heard Jake ranting and roaring from outside. even though he was Jake's best friend, he was nervous to be the one who had to comfort Jake about this, no one could understand the pain that he was going through. It would be ridiculous to even attempt to.

"That is officer Wells precinct yes, you can see when he was fired or left work so we can see how deep this operation runs"

"Sure thing captain," Jake tried to sound like his normal self but it just came out as a croak.

He walked out if the office with Boyle in tow. 

"I can't wait to have my hands on him"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this chapter, can you give me some notes/criticism/ideas in the comments? I have the story planned out but if you want me to go in a different direction I would be completely on board with that.  
>  Also, I think I'm going to add a Holt/Jake moment in the next chapter. Like Holt has to comfort Jake because I really like their friendship.  
>  I'm going to keep the rest of the story revolving around Amy because she is honesty underrated. Like how many fics do you see about her that aren't completely peraltiago related (I mean peraltiago is amazing but give Amy some screen time)


	5. Teddy Scumbag wells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amy is forced to face her abductor

Amy could feel rough hands lifting her out of the bag and being placed on a cold metal table. The freezing metal sent goosbumps down her exposed back and she shivered. The ties on her wrists and ankles were removed so they could cuffed her to the table, arms spread out to the corners but her legs were, thankfully, kept shut. She had her eyes covered with a rag and she had a gag in her mouth made from the same material. Her trousers had been half heartedly pulled back on and her bra was was askew. She lay in darkness for a while, staining to hear what voices were whispering around her until she heard steps approaching before the blindfold and gagg was ripped off.

"Hi there bitch"

Amy stared back at Teddy she didn't jump, she didn't show any sort of reaction to him. But when he smirked at her she had to stop herself from gagging.

"Fuck you," she spat.

 

"You know I love seeing you like this, so submissive and a mess," he chuckled to himself, Amy recoiled and noticed someone in the corner filming on his phone.

"What's with the cameras? You should know it's dumb to record criminal activity, especially with a cop" Amy sounded tough, she surprised herself. " Are you making some sick snuff film?"

"Oh we're just making some videos to send to your boyfriend. No wait! Fiance! Congratulations."

Teddy practically spat the last part.

"Why the hell, would you be sending Jake that? He's a cop, this is just evidence to be used against you once they find me," 

"Oh no, we've been very careful with our videos. No faces but yours. But you're forgetting who this is all about Amy," he snarled, " Jimmy wants Jake to be miserable, I want to kill you. Funny how things work out, huh?"

Amy tried to ignore the threat on her life and focused on distracting Teddy and getting as much information as possible.

"Why are you doing this Teddy? I know you're my ex but we ended on relatively good terms. Even pyscho ex's don't go this far. And you're a police officer!" She trailed off a little bit, " or were a police officer..." Amy left the last part to be filled in by Teddy, she needed to gather information for when she escapes. Because she has to escape. She has to save herself.

"Oh, I still am, which makes this all the more fun"

Amy looked at him in confusion, how the hell was he still a cop? She didn't get much time to dwell on it though because Teddy grabbed the table and pulled it back, the table moved until it stood vertical leaving Amy hanging off of it.

"Teddy stop!" She shrieked.

"Teddy stop!" He mimicked her and laughed, "You sound like when we were dating, do you remember? You were such a prude that I had to get some when you were sleeping. Never got far, mind you, before you woke up. And I had to pretend to be asleep. Never suspected anything. You're so naive, Amy. That's why I'm going to have so much fun having my way with you." Teddy eyes gleamed and Amy tried to shrink back into the wall she hung off.

 

"It's ok Amy, it'll be fun," he licked his lips, "for me."

Amy started to choke and fight tears as Teddy stroked her stomach and moved closer, "shh shh shh, you're safe with me,"

Just then a Amy could hear a buzzing noise. Teddy stepped back from her and pulled out his phone,

"Ah, duty calls." He smiled, "you know it's hard work being a cop. See you later then Amy, don't worry I'll be back in an hour or two. Don't miss me too much okay?" He laughed and walked out of the room with all the other members of the gang close behind him. 

Amy was left alone. The damp air made her throat feel scratchy and her legs shook a little from the cold. But in her head she was already planning revenge. How the hell did Teddy think he was going to get away with this? He was going to regret ever looking at Amy Santiago.

 

 

Jake and Charles drove in silence on the way to the 97.  
No music or jokes. The silence was unnerving. Charles kept glancing over at Jake who was sat in the passenger seat staring straight ahead. He was unresponsive to everything.

 

"Boyle, do you think Amy will die?" The question made Charles jump, Jake didn't even turn around to look at him.

"Jakey! Why would you say that?! No! Of course she's not going to die!" Boyle was flustered by the grim question. He knew that Jake was going through the motions but he didn't think his mind had gone *there* yet.

"Why" 

"Why what?"

"Why won't she die" Jake asked the question like a stubborn child. He refused to ignore the gnawing feeling in his stomach that he was already too late. That Amy was gone forever. And he never got to say goodbye.

"Well, first of all she's a fighter, did you see how she kicked that Sam guy in the face?" Boyle almost laughed at the memory, he remembered feeling a sense of pride watching the video and seeing Amy heroically fight of her attacker.

"Did you see what happened after that?" Jake retorted

The silence was unsettling. Charles struggled to find the words.

"Jake, you know that when she comes back-- Don't give me that look! Because she WILL come back. Amy will be hurt, she'll need so much comforting. She won't want it, but she'll need it. And you will be there for her. You'll be the one to, not save her because she doesn't need saving per say," he stopped to try and find the words, "but the one to help her. The one to remind her that she is a strong and wonderful woman. The one to tell her that this experience does not make her. That she was someone before this and she will be someone after it."

Jake finally turned to look at Boyle, even though Charles was an emotional person, I mean you couldn't deny it, he was still surprised by the all the feelings he let out in his speech.

"Thanks Boyle," Jake looked up at him, he didn't smile. He didn't have to. But his eyes were shining a little bit more like they used to.

"And Jake? You will need to book therapy for the both of you. This will not go away without professional help." It was almost a joke. But not really.

"Okay" Jake relaxed into his seat a little more and sighed.

Charles understood that Jake wasn't going to be "Jake" for a while but he hoped that Jake realised in order for Amy to ever have a chance to be "Amy" again when she comes back he needs to be the Jake that he has always been.

 

Amy was left all alone in the room. They had left her in complete darkness. It was getting to be so cold she was going numb, but she refused to shiver. She was not going to give them the satisfaction of seeing her suffer. Amy could make out the outline of something in the corner of the room, it could be a person or anything really but it looked menacing. It was all too much. Her emotions rose and crashed on top of her.

A terrible thought crossed her mind. Amy thought back to the time she had tried to take someone back to the station after they had ingested a bad batch of some new street drug. The man had being throwing himself in front of cars and basically just causing a disruption. People were crowding around to watch the psychotic and suicidal man. She had cuffed him and put him in the back of her car while talking to some witnesses. He had started wacking his head against the window of the car and calling out in unintelligible wails. She had blocked out the sound and urged the woman she was interviewing to do the same. Which is why when the thumping stopped she didn't notice. It wasn't until she got back into the car that she saw him slumped in the back with blood spilling out of his wrists. He had manges to slit them on the cuffs. He was fine in the end. They got him to the hospital before any real damage was done and he never did any time in jail, just some community service. But the quick fix idea was lodged in her brain. Obviously the man had done it because he had basically taken a mixture of bath salts and bleach, but for Amy could it be a solution?

She couldn't bring herself to do it, what if Jake found her, lying dead. Bled out because she couldn't handle a situation by herself. No. She would stay alive, but only for Jake. No one else. Not even herself. She couldn't put Jake through any more pain than he was probably in right now. That brought her to her next thought. Had he seen the video of her? Was he ever going to. She hoped not 

 

"Okay Jakey we are here!" Boyle pulled over, "time to get all the details we can on that scum bag," 

The 97 was almost identical to the 99 except Jake always thought it had a malicious air. Especially since the 97 was known in the NYPD as the most corrupt presinct in Brooklyn and Manhattan. There were countless stories of bribes in exchange for fumbled reports, mis- labelled evidence or just to keep quiet about things going on inside the actual presinct. Jake always resented the idea that a police station could be so corrupt but hey, look where he is now.

He trudged up the stairs with Boyle and looked around to find someone to help them.

"Hi there,"

Jake smiled at the receptionist, 

"we are from the 99th precinct and it is very important for a case that we know when officer Teddy Mcdouche-face Wells stopped working here."

The receptionist returned the smile but with a cocked head and a condescending look.

"I'm sorry I'm confused"

"About what?" Jake's patience was wearing thin. This was a waste of time. All he needed were details on Teddy Wells. Was that too much to ask?

"Well officer Teddy Wells, as I assume that's who you are talking about, still works here, in fact he just arrived about ten minutes ago."

Charles could see Jake's face harden. The muscles tensed and he clenched his jaw. 

Jake didn't know what to feel, should he be happy that he can catch Teddy here or angry that a rapist and an abductor was working in a police presinct. But all he knew for certain was he was one step closer to Amy, and that's all that matters.  

"Well, we have to speak to him!," Jake tried to be calm so he smiled at the receptionist again, it didn't really work because he looked like a deranged lunatic and scared the receptionist half to death . She shakily pointed them in the direction of the bullpen.

 

Teddy had been sifting through some paperwork when he happened to glance out the window and see Jake with his little minion walking away from their car, and towards the precinct! 

Shit. Shit. Shit

He jumped up and from his desk and tried to think of a way to escape. They were at the entrance for God's sake! He ran-jogged to the men's bathroom and tried to calm himself down. About five minutes later he peaked his head out the door and saw Jake and Boyle talking to the receptionist. 

Fuck.

He tried to walk as inconspicuously as possible towards the hall but almost got caught by Jake looking up in exasperation so he dived towards a wall. Beside him was the open entrance to the bull pen. He just had to walk past it without Jake noticing and he could get to the emergency stairs.

1,2,3...go

There was a split second of silence where he had thought he got away with it before;

"Boyle there he is Go! Go! Go!"

The chase began. Teddy ran towards the stairwell and threw cabinets and anything he could grab onto the floor behind him to try and delay his pursuers. Jake and Charles were sprinting behind him. Leaping over all the obstacles. Teddy jumped about three steps at the time to get down the stairwell. 

"NYPD STOP!" Jake screamed down at him.

He flew out the door and towards his car. Just Charles and Jake got to the exit Teddy had started to drive.

 

"We can't let him go Charles, I'll drive" 

The car that they were chasing was identical to, if not the car that kidnapped Amy in the first place. Just seeing it again filled Jake with an overpowering rage. The Volvo sped through a red light just as the line of traffic crossed Jake and Charlie's path.

"Fuck no," Jake quickly shifted and turned the car back towards the precinct. 

"Jake, what are you-" Jake turned the car so that it lurched to one side. The squeaking tires and the horns of the surrounding cars filled the air. Charles could smell the rubber tires burning as the sharp smell filtered through his nose.

Jake pulled the car into an old alley that was definitely not made for cars. He barreled through trash cans to get to the other side just in time to see Teddy speed past.

"I've got you now, you son of a bitch"

Jake raced after him and Charles couldn't help but fear for his life and Jake turned into on coming traffic.

"Sorry, we're police officers! It's a car chase.." he yelled in apology to the honking car.

He continued to follow Teddy in hot pursuit until they were led out to what looked like a country road. No where for him to escape. Just wide open nothing. But then in the distance there was a building. Or a farm. No, it was a Barn coming up on the left.

The barn's red paint was peeling, there were overgrown shrubs and weeds everywhere turning yellow. Several black SUVs where parked outside and, of course, a line of Volvos. There were some men walking about outside as Teddy's car sped passed them. He ran out, pointed Jake's car out to all of them and they quickly scattered. Some ran into the barn and others disappeared into their cars and tried to make a break for it.

"Jake..." Charles lent over and touched his friends shoulder, "Jake we need to turn back,"

"What! Why Charles?" Jake couldn't hide his annoyance, sure Boyle was his best friend but how could he even forget for a moment that his future wife was in that sketchy building. With God knows who.

"If we go back now, we know where they are and we can call for backup and be back here in half an hour tops. But if we go in just the two of us with so many people in the warehouse they will just slit Amy's throat and kill us" he said it as fact.

Jake knew that Boyle was right, it's just tough to swallow. They are so close to saving her.

"Fine, but I'm running some red lights to get to the precinct faster."

 

"Honey, I'm hooome" Teddy called out to Amy and she jumped awake. She had just started to let herself drift off. Her body had been through so much that day, she was exhausted.

"I'll have to make this quick because your boyfriend is on the way and I'm saving the big finale for him"

"Jake was here?" Amy whispered.

"Yeah, sweetheart," Teddy started to move closer, "but don't worry. We'll have our fun before he can interfere.

 

At the precinct Holt had just received the video of Amy being berated by The. He was studying it with Terry, it was uncomfortable but not as bad as the last video. Not even comparable.

Jake swung the door open and it wacked against the wall of Holt's office. The noise made Terry jump out of skin but the captain just calmly looked up.

"Captain let's go! We know where Amy is and we have to get there before they leave"  
Everyone else was in bullet proof vests and armed. Rosa was already brandishing a knife.

"Great! Where is she?" Holt stood up at walked after Jake who was already making his way out.

"A warehouse just about 10 minutes away,"

"Go then, myself and Gina will stay here and wait for more videos,"

Jake suddenly stopped walking and turned on his heel go face Holt.

"There are more videos?" Jake demanded, "is Amy ok? Has anyone else... "Hurt" her?"

"No, but Teddy is threatening to to..."hurt" her before you get there."

"Not on my watch"

"And Jake.."

He turned back again.

" We have definitive proof that it was Teddy sending the messages"

Even though Jake could put two and two together, hearing someone say it out loud made him boil over. Teddy was going to regret the day he ever met Jake.

 

Teddy started to approach Amy

"Finally you're all mine"

"Stop it Teddy or I swear, i'll-"

"You'll what? I'd you haven't noticed already you are kind of tied up"

He started kissing her neck and  the camera was shoved in her face.

"We're gonna make a nice little video to show your boyfriend when he finds you," Amy looked confused for a moment, was she going to be let go?

Teddy caressed Amy's body and flicked a tear off her face.

"I can just see his face when he finds you dead with the video playing in your arms," Her blood ran cold. He really wanted to kill her. She wasn't going to live to see Jake again. She will never get the chance to say I love you to him for the last time.

She tried fighting against the restrictions of her cuffs.

Teddy unbuckled his belt.

"No, no no," Amy whimpered

"Shhh, Amy your safe."

Before she could do anything it was happening again. He was everywhere, hand in her hair, arms around her waist, legs pushing against hers.

Teddy pulled back and turned the table horizontal again. He climbed on top of her and she screamed out. For anyone to just please help her. But the screaming just spurred him on.

"I'm going to turn you around now," he snarled.

Teddy released her cuffs and twisted her around this time with her stomach on the table.

Amy struggled but it was impossible to over power him. She was weak. She was small. She was nothing compared to him. She couldn't protect herself. What kind of cop can't even protect herself?

"I guess your boyfriend didn't care enough to save you."

Amy sniffed.

"He followed me until I got here, then he turned around and left."

"Jake wouldn't leave me, I don't think.."

 

"Jake wouldn't leave me, I don't think..."

Jake was listening to the conversation through a sound amplifier outside. He had taken his own car to get there and raced through all the red lights that tries to stop him. It in the end it didn't matter. He was too late. Teddy had her, and Amy didn't believe in him. Not anymore.

Jake just sat listening to his girlfriend struggling and his heart breaking. Where the fuck was everyone else? He'll go in by himself if they don't show up soon.

Finally the others arrived and he got the signal to go in. It took so much to not just start firing bullets everywhere. It took even more to not break down and cry.

 

"Ok Amy let's get to the fun part,"

 

*CRASH*

 

"GET YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR"

"Rosa?" Amy looked up at the door through burry eyes. "ROSA! JAKE, HELP IM IN HERE!"

Teddy quickly duck taped over Amy's mouth as he untied her and shoved her into the body bag again. She tried to get out but the bag was zipped and Teddy kicked it for good measure.

"Where is detective Santiago?" Jake yelled at the criminals kneeling with their hands up in front of him. They looked up at him then to eachother, nothing.

"ROSA! JAKE!"

"Amy?" he had heard her voice! For the first time in far too long he had heard the most beautiful voice in the world "This way Diaz I can hear her."

They found a linoleum door and heard a struggle inside.

"NYPD OPEN UP" Jake yelled in.

Teddy grabbed a gun and cocked it, the sound was deafening as it echoed around the metal room.

"Hear that lover boy? That's the sound of my gun to the skull of your girlfriend"

Jake froze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My heart skips a beat every time I see a new comment. It is so motivating, thank you!
> 
> This doesn't really have anything to do with the story, but did you know that there's a whole group of people on wattpad that hate Amy Santiago? Like intensely? I was reading this fic (it was written amazingly but I hated the plot) about Jake realising he hated Amy and leaving her for some girl? Then they continued to make Amy the butt of every joke and make all the characters secretly hate her. And I was kind of reading it like okay, are you good? How could you hate Amy? It had SO many reads as well? Like thousands. And everyone was just cool with it? Whatever. Just needed to get that off my chest lmao.
> 
> EDIT: okay I'm so sorry I didn't post chapter six yesterday but it should be up later today... I live in the UK so idk what that means to you. It's taking a while to edit the next chapter because I want it to be perfect. Please comment for motivation!


	6. 24 hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amy is so close to escape she can taste it, but Teddy isn't going to let her go without a fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter took so long to write! Or should I say edit because the actual chapter has been done for months. I really wanted it to be perfect.
> 
> Also... 1k reads! That is actually amazing! Thank you so much for reading this and please comment for motivation so I know that people are still interested.

Jake froze. What the hell was he supposed to do? 

Rosa had less of a problem.

"AGHHG!"

She broke down the door and spun around wildly before finding her target and pointing her gun directly at Teddy.

"Put your weapon down right now" Teddy scowled at her.

Jake hadn't even had time to process what had just happened. He quickly recalibrated and started to walk slowly into the room, gun raised. The stony look on his face told you that he was not one to be messed with. For once he didn't have a quick quip on his lips, he didn't have witty remark or dumb catchphrase on his tongue. Instead he wore a stoic expression and non of his usual Peralta charm. 

Jake's hands were steady on the gun but his eyes searched feverishly for Amy.

All of Figgis' men started emerging from the dark corners of the room, all cocking their guns and smiling menacingly. Rosa recognised a few of them; people who had escaped trial by simply disappearing. Others who actually escaped jail. All dangerous. Though there were a few new faces that Rosa couldn't place. Doesn't matter, She thought, she'll have plenty of time to get to know them when gathering evidence for trial.

Jake scanned the room, heart in his throat, trying desperately to find Amy. Where the hell was she?

"Where's Amy?" Jake's voice was hoarse but he ignored the pain in his throat.

Teddy kicked the body bag beside him. He smirked.

Jake's stare grew cold as he looked in disbelief at the bag.

No, No, No, No, No.

His heart was going a mile a minute, breath grew ragged and he couldn't feel anything but the room spinning and everything drowning him. He couldn't be too late, she couldn't be dead. Before he knew it Jake was pointing the gun at Teddy and wore a look so deranged even he didn't know if he was about to blow Teddy's brains out.

"Don't worry about it Jakey, she's not dead, I mean not yet."

Jake exhaled and refocused, he wasn't too late. He could still save her. He resumed his position and thought of ways to negotiate. He could salvage the situation without violence as long as Teddy just admits defeat.

Teddy watched Jake's stance go from panicked to relaxed in seconds, he saw his chance to get the upper hand.

"You know you are quite the boyfriend," Jake was pointing his gun at Teddy, finger caressing the trigger, just hearing the scumbag speak left him waiting for an excuse to blow his face off, 

"You don't notice her starving herself or getting texts from someone, encouraging her to continue doing so. And then you take almost," he checks his watch,  
"24 hours to find her after she is kidnapped, I mean really it's a joke. And you almost had me! You were so close. But you let me go again. It's really impressive how you managed to put your girlfriend through so much pain while attempting to get her out of it. I mean even now, she's lying in a body bag half dead at my feet. And you know what? After 24 hours most abductions are treated as murder. In ten minutes this case would have been considered a murder."

It was working. Teddy could see the aggression in Jake falter.

"I mean really think about that, Jake. Amy, Dead. And it would be all your fault-"

At that moment Charles, Terry and the rest of the backup team ran in, each taking a man on. Guns were thrown away and violence ran wild. Terry took on two men at once, they didn't last long though. Soon they were flying through the air as Terry searched for his next opponent.  
Charles had succeeded in tackling a man to the floor and pinning him there.

In the chaos, Jake ran towards the body bag, 

"Don't be dead, Don't be dead, Don't be dead,"

Rosa followed quickly behind him and took Teddy head on.  
She walked nonchalantly towards Teddy before swinging her fist and punching him in the nose. Teddy took a moment to recover before attempting to return to blow. Missed, but it doesn't matter because he grabs her by the waist and attempts to throw her to the ground. Rosa drags her shoes roughly down his leg, skinning it and causing him to scream in agony. Blood seeping through his trouser leg.

Jake unzipped the body bag and saw Amy gagged and tied up, she was shivering but she wasn't crying.. but she was looking up at him ...and looked so happy to see him .....and had so many cuts and bruises ...and... oh god it's all his fault... and.. 

"Oh thank God, you're okay," he undid her ties and took off Amy's gag.

"Jake, I missed you so much," Amy wrapped her arms around Jake's neck and hugged him so tightly she thought she would melt into him.

Jake kissed the top of her head and hugged her tightly. His tears fell on her hair but she didn't care. She just needed to know that he was okay. She knew it was ridiculous that She was worried about him after all that but she was. Anything could have happened while she was gone. But for right now she was happy to be in his arms again. Safe. Nothing bad could possible happen to her when she was feeling so wonderful to be reunited with him.

Jimmy's men were falling left right and centre, the only one putting up a good fight was Teddy. Who was getting knocked off his feet currently by a screaming Rosa. She swung her legs at his and he plummeted towards the ground.

"Here," Jake took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around Amy, " You need to get to a hospital, come on let's go,"

Jake helped Amy to lift herself off the ground. He kept her steady on his arm as they tried to slip out unnoticed. Just the feeling of Amy next to him made Jake feel so much less guilty. If he could save her from this mess he had made then maybe it wasn't as bad as it all seemed. But it was all gone in an instant.

Because one moment he had his beautiful girlfriend on his arm and the next Teddy kicked Rosa's gun out of her hand and threw her to the ground, she smashed her head against the hard metal floor and groaned. She couldn't get up. Rosa felt something warm rush to the back of her head and prayed that she hadn't just gotten a concussion on what could be the most important case of her life.

Reacting quickly, Teddy managed to catch up to the couple that were so painfully close to getting away and grabbed Amy by the arm, roughly pulling her towards him and ripping her away from Jake's side. 

"No!" Amy called out as she was thrown back into the clutches of Teddy.

Jake had been careful when helping Amy towards the exit, he didn't want to hold her tightly because she looked so frail but he knew he had to be something steady for her to hold on to. Because what if he gripped too tightly and freaked her out? And what if she hadn't fully recovered from the...Oh god. Another stupid fucking mistake Jake thought. Now it doesn't matter how tightly he had been holding her because now Teddy had her again and he didn't give a shit about how roughly he was holding her.

Teddy choked Amy with his arm and held his gun to her back. She was struggling to breathe and her knuckles were white as she tried to rip his arm off of her. Amy could feel her blood rush to her head and she started to wonder if he would strangle her to death in front of everyone. Or maybe he would just snap her neck.

"Now everyone step away," Teddy growled at the police officers. He showed his gun periodically so that they wouldn't forget he had it pressed against Amy's back. And any wrong moves would result in a very dead girl.

Jake tried negotiating, "Listen, if you give us Amy now we can guarantee you will get a lighter sentence, not that I want you to. But this is your best option right now"

Jake had resumed his stance. Gun raised. His eyes were cold and Amy could honestly say in that moment she didn't recognise him.

Teddy scoffed, "Jake we both know that's just something you say to crooks to get them to comply. If need be, I'm taking Amy to the grave with me."  
What was most spine chilling about that speech wasn't the threat; it was how he looked at Amy during it. This was a man driven mad by unrequited love. He was clearly still in love with her. But now he wanted her dead so he could leave her behind. Because to him Amy wasn't even a person anymore. She was a challenge he had to overcome. An issue in his life that needed to be dealt with. Any was spluttering with the pressure on her throat. You could really see the damage the last few months had done to her as she stood with Jake's jacket acting like a dress on her frail body. It looked like it was trying to drag her to the ground. But Jake was just thankful he had worn a baggy leather jacket because it gave Amy some sort of covering and almost protection from being completely vulnerable to Teddy. But that didn't distract from the fact that you could see the bones protruding out of her skin. Her legs, sticks, were on the verge of trembling. 

But they weren't trembling. Because this was Amy, the calm and collected cop who could do her job no matter the situation. Jake looked at Amy and noticed her eyes pointing to Teddy's leg. It was spaced further away from Amy than the other one was for balance.  
A clear target. But before Jake could even take aim,

"You know in less than thirty seconds it will be 24 hours since you let Amy go," Amy visibly cringed at Teddy's words. It wasn't Jake's fault. It couldn't possible be. She shut him out of her life. How could he have known?

" And Amy has been through hell, I mean really. You got the videos right? I hope you did. She did well though didn't she. I mean Sam and mark certainly think so"

Amy did a double take. Teddy had actually sent the videos? And Jake had seen them. Jake had seen them...

Jake's hand were shaking as he attempted to aim at Teddy. He couldn't believe all he had put Amy through. She was going to need serious therapy after this and could quite possibly never work in the force again. Teddy had ruined Amy's life in just 24 hours. And Jake had let him.

"Well, you know I made it as difficult as possible for her. I kept her in the boot of my car to ensure she would have a few "claustrophobic freak outs" I wouldn't intervene when some of my boys were a bit too rough, or...."

He looked down at Amy's legs which had blood stains ran down her inner thighs, " when they needed some fun,"

Jake followed his look, he saw the dark crimson and he swears he could've died on the spot, 

"In fact, I encouraged it really, Which means that you must of been on the verge of suicide, Jake. After seeing all those videos, and knowing that it's all your fault. It's your fault that the woman you love went through that. Don't know how you could ever live with someone so morbidly obese though , like really, look at those thighs"  
Teddy made a move to grab Amy's left leg but was greeted by her right knee smacking him in the jaw. The loud crack made Terry and Charles turn around mid fight. Terry welled with pride but couldn't wallow in it too much because he had an annoying member of Jimmy Figgis' gang struggling under his arms. As a responce Teddy tightened his hold on Amy and left her crying out because he was squeezing just too hard. Jake was on a rollercoaster of emotions right now. Rosa, who had recovered, was standing behind Jake with gun aimed right at Teddy's head. She looked at Jake for a split second, he saw this and didn't know whether this was to ask permission to shoot or to check that Jake hasn't killed himself in the last five seconds.

"Guess I'm not boring anymore, Amy." Teddy started kissing Amy's neck and she couldn't help but start weeping again. The horrible silent type where the tears just fall, and fall but she doesn't make a sound or even change her facial expression. She just looked straight ahead. The only thing Jake could focus on was how she looked so helpless. So void of all hope. And as though she had given up already.

"Get. The. Fuck. Off. Of. Her." Jake said through gritted teeth

"Ooh, trying to be the Big man, Jake? Well, anyway as I was saying earlier, if Amy had been missing for 24 hours it would be considered a murder case."

"You've said this before," Rosa snarled, "Several times." 

"Well, it's been 24 hours," Teddy smirked and the shot rang out, "Enjoy your murder case."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay... 1k reads. I think I'm dreaming. Thank you so much! I really hope you are enjoying the story so far!
> 
> Another pretty big chapter. If you disliked the last chapter's cliff hanger you will hate this...
> 
>  
> 
> Edit: so are people's attention wavering? If you are still enjoying this story and want me to continue it please comment or leave kudos because I'm thinking of maybe leaving it open ended here... I mean I know what I want to happen but maybe it's best to leave it while it's good.


	7. Is she okay?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amy clings to life. She's not ready to go yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, might I recommend reading the last chapter again before this one. Just because you might get the momentum a little better. I don't control you though so do whatever feels right!

Jake's heart stopped. He couldn't breathe. 

Amy didn't react at first. She was looking at Jake when the little oh appeared on her lips and her body jerked a bit from the initial impact. She didn't scream or shout, she didn't call out for Jake, who was in absolute agony watching, she just slowly went to clutch her stomach and looked at the blood her hand was covered in when she pulled away. The first few seconds after the shot rang out could have easily lasted a decade. Amy began to grow limp in Teddy's arms which still trapped her. She watched her blood fall and followed it to the floor. 

Teddy let Amy fall, without a second thought. How the hell could he just let her fall? Jake's mind was racing. He dropped her. Like a spoilt brat drops a toy once it gets bored. He just let her fall. Why was that so difficult to swallow? 

Teddy took a moment to admire his handiwork before he ran out the door, Sarge and Rosa in hot pursuit.

Jake didn't know what was happening. All he knew was that he was sprinting to Amy and dropping beside her before she could even lift her head up.

Jake was on his knees beside Amy who's chest was rising and falling with such jagged intervals he was scared to touch her. He spent a moment with his hands half outstretched to her but they were trembling because what the hell was he supposed to do? How the hell could he possible save her? He kept those thoughts inside. He couldn't let Amy know he was loosing hope

He gently put her head in his lap and tried to examine the hole in Amy's stomach but the blood was coming out too fast. Jake caught a glimpse of the bullet lodged just under her ribs and it was enough to tell him that this might be it. 

Amy was coughing and spluttering. She reached out and grabbed his hand, he had been using it to apply pressure to her wound. She gripped it tightly and pulled it off of her chest.

With thoughts like daggers Jake realised she was giving up. She just wanted to be with him as she...

Jake grabbed her hand and kissed it. His tears soaked her fingers as he held them to his face. Neither had spoken a word yet. Amy's small frame was trembling even as Jake held her tight. But she wasn't crying. Jake thought to himself that even in this hell situation she was stronger than him. She always would be.

He fumbled for his radio and called for help,  
"Officer down, officer down" his voice broke. He couldn't hear a reply, he dropped the radio and returned to Amy.

Amy looked up at him and weakly smiled, but winced at the effort. 

"I love you so much, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about everything," he voice was small. Had it always been? 

"Shh Ames don't worry about it, all I need you to do is stay alive, okay? Just do that for me." Jake choked on his words as he watched Amy struggle to catch a breath.

He could hear steps approaching and a man with a white medical bag ran towards them. 

"What's happened?" 

"Shot through the back,"

"How long?"

"Almost five minutes,".

The doctor frowned, "The blood should be clotting, she shouldn't be loosing so much blood this quickly," he was tying a bandage around her stomach and back. His fingers brushed her upper stomach and he recoiled slightly.

"Her ribs are-"

"It doesn't matter! Okay?" Jake put his head in his hands, "I'm sorry, but just get her to the hospital and I'll explain."

 

Sarge and Rosa caught Teddy trying to jump start a car. Rosa dragged him out of the rusted Hyundai and across the street, making sure she pulled him over any and all rocks or bumps as she did. Smirking any time he groaned. Sarge for once let Rosa do her thing. 

 

In the ambulance Amy passed out and Jake explained to the doctor what had happened. 

Turns out her body didn't have enough energy or nutrients to do normal things, nevermind help stop her bleeding to death. She had to be hooked up to so many medical machines that Jake didn't know the words for. He could barely hear the doctor's yelling at eachother around him. All he could do was stare at Amy and fixate on her far too still face. 

As the ambulance pulled over at the hospital there was so much commotion and chaos that Jake lost where Amy was. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He had desperately tried to cling onto her hand but they were pulled apart as they raced her to surgery. 

Eventually, after what felt like hours upon hours of searching, he found her unit but not where she was.

"She is still in surgery. Stay here. And no I cannot answer any medical questions just yet. Her situation cannot be assessed yet."

So Jake did what he was told. He stood in silence. Complete absorbed in his own thoughts as he leant against the wall, beside the perfectly good chairs. But he wasn't good enough for them. He let Amy go. Maybe not on purpose, but he did it nonetheless.

And when Rosa arrived they stood in silence and when Charles arrives they stood in silence and when Sarge and Gina and Holt and everyone arrived they all waited in silence with baited breath.

Amy's parents couldn't be there. They were away somewhere. A trip of sorts. No devices or phone service. They wanted to get away from it all. All Jake could think of is when they come back. Maybe to a dead daughter. And he would have to explain it. He would have to look her parents in the eye and tell them that their daughter was dead because he was a shitty cop that couldn't see what was going on in his own damn apartment.

Holt approached Jake and told him to clean up. He was covered in Amy's blood. Jake didn't respond he just left.

In the bathroom he looked in the mirror and saw the blood on his plaid shirt, far too much blood. It coated him. Would he ever be able to wash her blood off of him. How could he ever get the stains of Amy's death off his skin?

He had to stop crying. It just switched on and off whenever it wanted. He stared at himself in the mirror and thought about everything that happened. Amy was abducted, raped and shot in 24 hours. Jake had cried and attempted to save her only to almost get her killed. Why was she so intent on making him think she was perfect when he was about the least perfect thing in the world. He knew that Amy would be messed up for a while. A really long while. But he had to stay with her. He would never let anyone touch her again. If she survives. The voice in the back of Jake's head whispered to him.

As he walked out if the bathroom he saw the doctor step out of the surgery room. Jake jogged over to hear what he was saying.

\--"she will need to undergo some rape tests because of how aggressive the rapists were to her and such a traumatic event will prevent her from being on the force for a few months, but Amy Santiago will be perfectly fine, physically, in no time at all."

The doctor smiled reassuringly. But Jake knew the emphasis on physically wasn't a mistake. Amy might never recover fully.

But even so, he didn't realise the weight he had been carrying on his shoulders until that moment. The squad was back to they're old selves again. Charles was smiling so brightly he looked as though he might faint. Rosa even relaxed and let a sigh out of her almost smiling lips. Terry was leaning on the wall and laughing to himself. They looked psychotic. But it didn't matter because Amy was going to be okay.

"She also asked to see Jake peralta?"

Jake stiffened a bit at his name. Of course he wanted to see her. But after all of this it was nerve wracking to see her again.

"That's me."

When Jake walked into the room everything shone so bright. Amy was so beautiful. He knew that she hated when he said that out loud but he couldn't help but think it. She was positively glowing. But she was also staring outside her window looking worried.

"Amy?" She turned around to see Jake holding some tulips.

"I thought roses were kind of cliché and that lily's were kind of the cliché of trying to not be a cliché but if you don't like them I can.."

"I love them Jake," Amy smiled up at him and in that moment Jake's heart melted to a puddle.

"We need to talk about everything." He tried to stop smiling so profusely as he said it. This was a serious matter. 

"Okay but first," Amy said as Jake sat down. She grabbed him and pulled him in for a kiss. Jake finally felt fully at peace. Her lips pressed against him were so innocent and lovely. Her hands in his hair was what was missing for the last 24 hours.

Jake pulled away,

"Ames I was really scared I lost you, and not just because you were missing. Why did you put yourself through *that* and why would you keep it from me?"

Amy looked lost, she fiddled with her hair until Jake grabbed her hands and held them. She glanced up at him and he smiled that classic Jake smile. She felt her barriers break down.

"I've always had these little impulses after eating to do things; like take a laxative or stick a toothbrush down my throat until I've thrown it all up,"

Jake winced at her words.

"But I had ways to deal with it, if my desk was tidy I can eat. If my work is done, I can eat. But when I started to get those texts..." she stopped, "Do you know about the texts?" 

Now it was Jake's turn to be awkward. He nodded and Amy returned to her story ,"I was distracted and it wasn't just my desk that was messy, it was my life. And I never realised how heavily I relied on those little rules before I tried breaking them."

"But why not tell me? Ames I love you so much I would never judge you." Jake turned in his chair to face her fully.

"I know that, but I judge myself and if other people know it means it's serious and out of control."

"But it IS serious and out of control" Jake was doing his little hand gestures and movements that he does when he gets worked up. And she knows she shouldn't be thinking that right now, but God did she love those little quirks of his.

But Jake's face was stoney and serious, he couldn't not be about the woman he loved.

"I just didn't see it that way. And the way the texts would taunt me, but it would sort of reward me if I lost weight. Like that day I would get one less text or something small but positive would come up in the text. Like I don't know. It just felt like I was finally making progress, but now I realise it might've been in the wrong direction"

"We have to tackle this thing head on babe, okay? I need to know your safe."

Amy recoiled slightly. Jake noticed.

" What, are you ok Ames? Did I say something?" He was panicked and flustered in seconds after seeing her reaction.

"No its just when they would.. you know-,"

Jake's stomach twisted.

"They would whisper in my ear that I'm safe and to not scream,"

"Teddy will pay for that, Sam too." Jake's teeth were gritted. Amy tried not to focus on the name drop. He had watched the videos. How else could he know?

"But will they Jake? They got to take advantage of me and use it as leverage over you. I think they got exactly what they wanted-minus me dead."

" I bet they didn't want life in prison."

He tried to make Amy laugh.  
She smiled back at him in response but it felt forced.

"Jake I thought that after ~that~  I would be scared of you touching me, but I'm not." Jake sighed with relief, it was his new greatest fear that Amy would be scared of him. As if he was just as messed up and depraved as those monsters, 

"But I am scared of the rest of them, I know it's irrational especially with Terry cause he's a dad but I just am,"

"Babe, this is normal. It will fade with time. You just need to let yourself heal. I can't guarantee you'll ever be the same but I can help."

"I love you, Jake"

"I love you, Ames"

He leaned in to kiss her, his hands shook with anticipation. It had been too long since he last did this.  
The kiss was deep and sweet. She grasped his back and held on to him tightly. As they broke apart she looked into her eyes and saw everything he ever needed or will need. He saw Amy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, the support this story has received is amazing. Thank you so much! I really want to make reading this story worth your time so I try to make it as good as possible. ( I don't know whether I succeed at that though..) that's why sometimes it takes a few days for a new chapter. But I don't think I could ever abandon this story, I mean how annoying is it when you finally find a good fic and you get to like chapter four and you go oH that's it? And then you go Maybe they are still working on it. But the last time is was updated was 2017. So I swear I won't leave until I've finished!


	8. The unknown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, not much happening in this chapter I think I just wanted a filler chapter to spread out the drama and the action.
> 
> Don't worry, the next chapter is very eventful ;)  
> But for right now just enjoy some fluff

Jake went home two hours later. He had sat with Amy and talked with her about nothing in particular until she nodded off to sleep. Then he sat and just appreciated her. Her breath. Her skin. Her perfect little smile that sometimes pops up as she turns in her sleep. 

He still couldn't believe he almost lost her. There had been a chance of her dying. She looked so peaceful now but less than 3 hours ago she had been trapped with a psycho ex boyfriend who had been hell bent on making her suffer. And he had succeeded. She went through unimaginable pain. Not just physically, her mind had been put through the paces.

Jake chewed the inside of his mouth. Will she ever fully recover? Will their relationship? It had been fine talking to her so far. But there were still certain conversations they skipped around. And certain things he was scared to bring up.

He knows Amy said that she wasn't scared of him but still, there is so much left unknown. Like the fact that Teddy will be put on trial, and that there is not a doubt in Jake's mind that Amy will be called to testify.   
That sort of thing can rip open psychological scars. How will she cope with the pressure? And how the hell is he meant to comfort her? How are you meant to boyfriend? 

Amy made a muffled sigh in her sleep.  
Jake snapped back to reality. Amy was here and alive. That was all that mattered right now. 

He didn't want to leave Amy before sharing goodbye, just incase she woke up and he wasn't there and she freaked out or was just, you know, a little sad or lonely. But visiting hours were long gone and the nurses were getting a bit antsy. So he gently kissed her forehead and rubbed her hands until she drifted back into consciousness.

"Hi," she whispered as he eyes opened.  
He smiled and kissed her again, this time on the lips.

"I have to go home now, but tomorrow I'm going to bring over some clothes for you, some blankets because you look freezing, and loads of other stuff to make you feel more comfortable,"

"You don't have to-"

"I want to"

Amy blushed a little in response, the pink on her cheeks made Jake's heart flutter. It was as if he had just leaned in and kissed her on their first date. The nervous butterflies, the twilight outside. Everything was set to be so innocent and romantic.

"I love you so much, Jake," 

 

Jake opened up the door to his and Amy's apartment, a gust of cold loneliness greeted him as he threw off his coat and made his way to the bathroom. It was so quiet he could hear the blood in his head flow. 

His steps cracked like a whip into the silence and he stood infront of the mirror inspecting the blood on his shirt. It speckled the colar and scarlet patches were smudged all over the sleeves. But the chest was coated. It was so thick with blood and his sweat that it had grown stiff as it dried. Definitely ruined. 

Not that he would ever want to wear this shirt again. He peeled it off and looked at his shirtless reflection.  
He had never been fat, but never athletic. He had some muscles (it was unavoidable from running around all day as a cop) and recently he had been trying to tone his stomach. He could accept that he would never be Terry's level of fitness, he could even accept he would probably never be anyone's definition of "fit", I mean sometimes he wished he had Chris Evans abs or a jawline you could cut yourself on. But he never really dwelled on it. If his friends still cared about him and if Amy still loved him then why change? 

Why did Amy have such trouble with it? I mean, it's one thing to be self conscious. You can be self conscious and still never do anything about it, it's how a lot of people live. But to put your body through that emotional turmoil just to be skinny. Something that most guys don't find extremely attractive in that if you have a little bit extra to you: it's sexy, if you don't: it's sexy. To be honest boys are just horny. It's very difficult to explain how boys function. Same with girls. But both genders (and everything in between) are obsessed with things that no one really gives a shit about. I mean a thigh gap? Jake had to Google what that was. 

What is sexy about a space between your thighs?

Not that you are ugly if you have one.

But it's like having a small birthmark. One that is on your arm. It's noticeable. But only if you pointed it out. 

So, in short, not noticeable at all. Or important. It does not make or break you as a person.

 

Jake let these thoughts consume him for a while. Just staring at his reflection.

 

It was a tough pill to swallow, but Amy had a serious problem that could not just be talked out. She didn't understand that he didn't care about these things. Or maybe she did. Jake didn't fully understand himself. To be honest this was one of the topics he gracefully danced around. She needed help. Professional help.

Jake tore her myself away from his reflection and got into the shower. He could smell Amy's shampoo the moment he stepped in. He must've spent at least ten minutes smelling it before deciding to use it in his hair so he could smell her all night. He used far too much but it made sure the smell stayed on him.

The bed was cold without Amy. It was a bed built for two. His side had a little indent from where his body usually ends up lying, Amy didn't have as deep an indent but it was there. He decided to crawl over and sleep on her side of the bed. The smell of Amy was overpowering. It pulled him into sleep slowly but it also pulled at his tears. 

She's fine. She's safe at the hospital now. So why are you crying. He was thinking to himself as his eyes closed.

 

Amy lay in bed across town. She was under a lot of medication. It was a horrible feeling. She was exhausted but her body wouldn't grant her sleep. And when it allowed her to drop off it wouldn't give her the satisfaction of a nap lasting longer than half an hour. 

She touched her stomach where she had been shot and winced a little at the pain. It didn't hurt more than a big bruise at this point but it was still there. Her finger traced over the little indent on her skin where the bullet had left her. It had gone straight through her. It was lodged somewhere in that warehouse. Amy wondered if it was a crime scene yet. She kind of wanted to go get the bullet. Just to hold in her hand the thing that almost killed her. 

Maybe Rosa would make a ring or something out of it for her. So she could wear it to court when Teddy gets sent to jail and she can smirk as he fights with the guards while they lead him away.

It's stupid, she knows this. Not realistic in the slightest. I mean they would never let her make jewelry out of evidence. But it's a thought she clings to as the drugs claim her again and drag her into unconsciousness.

 

Jake dreamed of Amy and how beautiful she was, he dreamed of how her skin glistens with sweat when they start getting a little intense. He dreamed of her beautiful hair, face and everything. Nothing is perfect compared to her. No one could ever surpass her in his eyes. But slowly the image greyed and Jake opened up his eyes. 

 

The alarm clock read 6:45.

Wow. That's early. Like Santiago early. He turned onto his back on the bed and rubbed his eyes. May as well get up and face the day. 

He could still smell Amy's shampoo in his hair as he padded into the kitchen to pour himself some lucky charms. So what's the plan?

First, pack a bag full of things for Amy. Who knows how long she'll be in hospital, she needs everything she can get.

Second, write an email to Holt about missing work. Jake doesn't think Holt will expect him at work anyway but it's nice to be polite.

Third, stop at a bakery on the way to the hospital to get some of Amy's favourite pastries and cakes.   
For a moment he wondered if that would be a good idea, but he quickly breezed passed it and thought he would bring them to her and if she can't stomach them then he definitely could.

The car journey felt like it would never end. The smell of the pastries had wafted to Jake as he drive and it became very difficult to not eat one. 

Huh, this is kind of the opposite of the problem for Amy.

He pushed the thought out of his head and kept on driving. 

His hands shook as he opened the door to Amy's room. She had been moved to a more quiet part of the hospital. It was an area reserved for people expected to stay longer than the average patient. Her room overlooked the hospital garden. It was far from pretty but a better view than the main road outside her last one had.

Amy was already awake, she was flipping through a magazine and listening to some music playing from a little radio in the corner of her room. She was slouched over and her shoulders were slumped. Amy caught Jake outside her door from the corner of her eye and immediately perked up.

They talked for hours again, continueing to expertly avoid any difficult topics. Jake unpacked the bag he had brought. He had two fluffy blankets, one extra pillow, three books, a pair of Amy's comfiest PJ's and some slippers.

It felt so natural to be back with Amy, no schemes, no drama, just Amy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so does anyone have any requests or ideas for some one shots or even a story they might want me to do? Cause I really like writing this and it makes me want to write more! Especially if you have some dark ideas you haven't seen anywhere or aren't written how you would like them. Please comment if you do!


	9. Sold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delay. This should have been up a few days ago but things kept getting in the way. I promise that I'll make it up somehow...maybe I'll post twice today(?) I don't know.
> 
> EDIT: just to let you know I will be posting 2-3 times a week from now on instead of everyday because I'm back at school and have exams. My next post should be up tonight.

Rosa had Teddy locked in the holding cell. She had cuffed him to the bars and sat down at her desk, smirking while Teddy groaned about how his legs ached from her dragging him on the road. It was late. Everyone else had gone home but she couldn't sleep unless she knew that Teddy was locked up and most of the work surrounding this case was done. The blue light of the computer was painful in the darkened office, it made her eyes itch but she ignored it.

Rosa blamed herself for what happened, maybe not as much as Jake blamed himself, but enough to make her feel painfully guilty an time the subject came up or she looked at Jake and Amy. The psychos texting Amy had used her as a way to get to Amy. Amy felt inadequate next to her. Which is insane. Amy had a steady boyfriend, a great work ethic, was on her way to being sargent and was beautiful. But she didn't see it that way. Rosa couldn't get those texts out of her head. The ones that branded Amy fat and worthless but put her up on a pedestal.

Rosa glanced up at Teddy. She wondered if she could ask him why her. Why did Rosa have to be the one that would drive Amy to do these things? She didn't ask for that! She didn't want anyone to do something as ridiculous as starve themselves so they could be like her. They made Rosa into the goal. 

This brought her to point B; had Amy always felt this way? Teddy was her ex but they had been pretty close. Amy would have told him about her fears and her goals. Did he use this to manipulate her? Or was it a wild guess? 

No point in dwelling on it. The only way Rosa feels she could ever fix her relationship with Amy is if she puts Teddy away for life. So nothing will get in the way of that.

She eventually slipped into her paperwork state of mind where she couldn't be distracted. She scanned her work and added as much detail as possible, there was no way she was going to let a tiny slip up get through. There had been plenty of stories of bad cops getting away with it because the arresting cop wasn't thorough enough. It was still strange to her that Amy had been gone and back in such a short period of time. If Jake hadn't kicked up such a fuss when she was a few minutes late no one would have really thought twice about it. They would've assumed she went home or was simply late. If Jake hadn't been such a great boyfriend Amy could still be locked up with Teddy. He could have been doing unspeakable things to her. Rosa shivered. Amy had been through unspeakable things. 

This case was going to be tough.

 

Amy was sat up reading an article on her phone when the doctor walked in.

"Hello, Mrs Santiago," she smiled brightly at her, "I see Mr Peralta has left now,"

"Ah, yes."

"Such a good boyfriend, he was here for hours waiting for you when you were first admitted. I have to say I'm jealous,"

Amy felt a wave of gratefulness, she really was lucky to have him.

"Anyway, Amy it's time to talk about treatment."

Her stomach twisted, this was it.

"I know this can feel pretty daunting but it's important to take this issue by the horns," the doctor flicked through her file, a quick eyebrow raise and a glance up let Amy know she was a unique case, "Okay, so firstly the rape. Do you want the evidence to be used in court against your abductor?"

"Yes," the confidence in her voice shocked her. Did she really want to let a courtroom full of people know about this? But could she really let Teddy get away with making her feel so disgusting? Well, she made her choice. I guess there's no point in worrying about it.

"Okay," she scribbled down a note, "now, there are going to be a few more tests because the damage was quite bad."

She didn't need to tell Amy. The pain was constant and it made her feel the need to constantly squeeze her knees tight and wrap her arms around them. She wasn't an idiot, she knew it wasn't her fault, but the whole situation seems like it could have been avoided.

"And I want you to see a therapist about your eating disorder, they will also help with your recovery from the rape. You will also need a physio therapist and a nutritionist."

Amy swallowed, this was all a bit too much for her wage.

"You will be staying in the hospital for around one week, which is nearly up, but you will need to come in a few times a week after you have been released for your therapy. You can go back to work but not full time. I also think it will be best if you keep to your desk for a while."

"That's fine, I'll survive,"

"One final thing," the doctor sighed and massaged her closed eyes, "this is the most difficult part, but because your case is so extreme we are more than certain there will be certain "triggers" to set you off. This is the same for most rapes. But for you we will need to test these. We need you to recall your story for your therapist in depth, then he'll test certain words phrases and movements to see how you react."

"B-but why?" Amy wasn't expecting this, she was curling into a ball just hearing about having to relive everything. This didn't go unnoticed by the doctor who sat on the edge of the bed and put a hand on Amy's shoulder.

"It's so we can gauge when you are ready to stay home for good. This will be a difficult process but it's much better to do this rather than let you go home and have your boyfriend deal with all the surprises."

Amy nodded but she still didn't understand.

"Think of it this way,  if you went home and everything was fine but Jake ended up saying a word that just sets you off,"

"Mh-hm,"

"Then you start having a panic attack, but Jake doesn't know how to handle that so he leaves you lying on the floor to call an ambulance because you're inconsolable,"

A knot starts to form at the back of Amy's throat.

"But while he's gone you freak out even more from being left alone. The table is still set from dinner and a big knife is lying out. In your panicked and frantic state you grab it and cut yourself hoping to calm down. Instead Jake walks in with blood everywhere, you crying and possibly dying on the floor."

Amy just stares straight ahead, she couldn't even murmur a response.

The doctor's voice softened, "That's obviously an extreme example, but it's a real thing that happened to one of my patients less than a year ago. She cut so deep she passed out. She's fine now, thank god, but it all could've been avoided if we had educated her spouse on the trigger words and helped her work through them so they no longer were triggers."

"I get it- it's just going to be hard, isn't it?"

"I won't sugar coat it, this is the hardest part of the ordeal. But when it's over, it means it really is over."

"Thank you,"

The doctor took the hint and left Amy to her thoughts.  
A therapist. Although maybe a little embarrassing, Amy didn't mind that. But having to talk about the abduction over and over? 

She groaned inwardly. And no booze to get through it because of her meds. This was fantastic.

 

Jake was back at the precinct, working with Diaz. He came in after a quick nap at the house. It was still weird to be there without Amy and he planned on spending as little time there as possible.

"I have all the files filled in except for the interrogation." Rosa stiffened a little, "Are you sure you want to do this? I still think you're too close to the case."

"What? Of course I'm interrogating him! No one else is going near him."

The door slammed closed on interrogation room B.  
Teddy wells sat across from Jake Peralta, he smirked. It turned Jake's stomach. Why was he in such a good mood? Why was this sicko happy to be here? Whatever. Down to business.

"Right, scumbag. It's time for you to talk." Jake rubbed his hands, "How are you working for Jimmy Figgis when he's in jail?"

Teddy looked at the wall beside him that Jada bulletin board on it. Jake walked in front of it, "Answer the question."

"Wow, you really are dumb." He scoffed.

"Well, I'm not the one being questioned on an abduction of an NYPD detective"

A brief silence.

"Jimmy Figgis barely knows about it. He just said to run wild and do it in his name. Cause chaos. He wants to be known for something. I'm just helping him."

Jake chewed his gum, "How did you get involved?"

"Well, when I was finally done mourning my relationship with Amy, I decided to take things into my own hands. I had a bunch of Jimmy's men in my holding cell at my old precinct that I promised to let go if they brought me to the main gang."

He licked his lips, 

"They were over the moon to have another business prospect."

"Business prospect? Elaborate."

Teddy raised an eyebrow and Jake's heart fell to his stomach.

"No, you wouldn't have dared,"

"Went to the highest bidder, I still had some pictures of Amy from when we were together, I made a little slideshow and an advertisement. There were so many people there. Some were people she had arrested, some you had. I got 250,000 for her. God, he's gonna be pissed when she's not there."

"You sold my girlfriend?" Jake was breathing heavily through his nose, face burning up. His brain was on fire.

"Yes," he smiled as he watched Jake smash his fist down onto the table, "and what's more is he paid. He owns her, Jake and just because she's not there to be picked up doesn't mean he's gonna let it go."

"You're telling me that some sicko is going to be searching for Amy and trying to take her because he 'owns her'?"

"Is it that hard to get through your thick skull?"

Jake's head was swimming again. No words could describe the anger he was experiencing.

"Fuck sake," he stormed out of the room and towards Rosa.

"We have a few more things for the file,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's nice to be back, please leave a comment so I know that people are still enjoying this story and want me to continue it :)


	10. Special delivery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise for Amy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this should be me back to a normal posting time again. this chapter is kind of short but I'm pretty happy with it.

Amy was sat on a small worn leather sofa chair in the corner of her hospital room. It was a sickly, too bright yellow and vaguely smelt of spilled coffee. She had gotten changed into some jeans and an old band t-shirt so she could feel at least a little put together. She was avoiding the bed. Not just because it was uncomfortable and smelt like an odd mix of old people and newborn babies; It just reminded her of how helpless she was right now and to be perfectly honest, she was bored of lying down.

Jake hadn't visited today. Well, he hadn't visited yet. He hadn't texted to say he wasn't able to come or anything but it was getting late, almost 6pm. Which meant that it was time for dinner. Amy had really hoped that Jake could come before 6. The worst time of day. She would be forced to sit on her bed and eat all of her food. 

Every. Single. Bite.

She really didn't want Jake to watch her being force fed. It was humiliating, to say the least.

Yesterday was shepherd's pie. Or mashed potatoes with soggy meat hidden below it with a side of steamed ~something vaguely resembling a vegetable~.

And the worst bit was that the doctor would sit on the edge of her bed watching her and taking notes. Occasionally looking up and giving her little words of approval. 

"You are doing amazing, sweetie!"

It was so condescending and infuriating. She was not a toddler. She didn't need to be spoonfed. Why couldn't they just leave her alone. And maybe she would actually want to eat if the food was halfway decent. No one wants porridge for breakfast, a slimy sandwich for lunch and lumpy stew for dinner every day. 

Amy pulled at the edge of her T-shirt. God, she could see she had put on weight. Something everyone was "very proud" of her for doing but it turned her stomach. 

Disgusting.

She wasn't even allowed to workout so the fat she was gaining could be turned to muscle. They said it was "too risky" and she could fall back into old habits. 

"Old habits, my ass," she muttered

Her thighs were getting bigger again. They stretched out in front of her like tree trunks. The fat seemed to spill over the chair. She was scared to touch it. Her fingers flitted over her legs but never stooped down to touch them. Cause if she touched them then it confirms that this is real. This is happening. Amy Santiago was gaining weight.

You can't even starve yourself right, you really are unbelievable.

Amy started fiddling with her hair; trying desperately to distract herself from the thoughts that bombarded her. She tried to organise them, put them in little piles. Or one big pile called "let's deal with that later."  
Eventually she gave up and picked up the remote for the small caged TV hanging on the wall. She flicked mindlessly through the channels when the door squeaked open.

"Delivery for a Miss Santiago?"

Amy looked up, a delivery man stood holding a letter and a parcel. The parcel was in tatters, the brown paper falling apart and half-heartedly duck taped together. The letter was crisp and white, gleaming just for her.

"Um, yeah. That's me." 

She jumped up with a new spring in her step and signed the clipboard he held out for her with a flourish.

There is nothing better than getting mail. And she really needs that freshly opened letter feeling.

"Thanks, have a great day," he nodded to her and half-ran half-jogged out of the room. 

Amy looked down at the mail, her eyes lit up with excitement. The letter first, it's the basics of mail opening. 

She gently pulled the opening apart, wanting to save the paper. As she opened it she could smell her favourite perfume off the letter.

"Oh, Jake. You are too much," she was beaming;

Hey Amy,

I know I'm not the greatest at writing but I had to let you know why I wasn't visiting you today. 

Basically, I'm spending all of my time trying to make sure Teddy ends up rotting in jail. Which, by the way, he is not making an easy task. But don't worry. Soon it will be all over. And we can go home and forget it all. 

I can't believe I miss you this much, I mean I saw you yesterday, but I can't get you out of my head.

You are the light of my life.

A few problems have come up on your case, nothing I can't handle so don't worry, I can see you panicking already.  
Just be safe and get better.

Love you,  
Jake

P.s I sprayed the letter with your perfume so you could smell like home in the hospital :)

 

He was so thoughtful. He knew how much Amy loves little romantic gestures-  
and letters. 

"I miss you too," she whispered

Ok, on to the parcel.

She had to admit, the idea of getting a present made her a bit giddy. Even if it looked like it had been dragged through the bushes a few times.

The brown paper tore easily and the duck tape sliced satisfyingly under Amy's finger nails.

She pulled a small wooden box out from under the packaging.

It was plain, no designs or anything. It was a hexagon in shape and had a simple gold clasp at the front.

Was this from Jake as well? Would he not have mentioned it in the letter?   
She fiddled with the small metal lock at the front and opened the box. It had a small folded piece of paper in it.

"What in the world-"

She swiped up the paper and opened it releasing a small gasp once reading the first few words.

It was a receipt.

A receipt for her. 

It read:

Amy Santiago.

Woman                                 $200,000

Latina                                   $3000

Brown hair and eyes         $15,000

Tan complexion.                $15,000

Non virgin// experienced $17,000

Total : $250,000

What the hell. The box fell out of Amy's grip and crashed to the ground. It smashed.  
She started trembling and small beads of sweat were forming on her forehead.

Amy flipped the receipt. On the other side it was scrawled in bold.

"You get what you pay for, and I paid."

Please no, God no. 

Does Jake know? Amy had learned her lesson, she couldn't keep hiding things from him. He needed to know. 

She scrambled for her phone and blindly dialed his number.

"Jake, something happened."

\---------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, is this story getting a bit boring or anything? I feel like people maybe getting a little tired of it.


	11. Just keep talking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have split this chapter in two. The next one will be more action packed, this is just to build towards it.

"Jake, get over here."

Jake was glued to his computer. The blue light was starting to burn his eyes but the pain was just something he had to power through. He was a man on a mission and nothing was going to distract him. But Terry's plea sounded desperate. It was soft yet commanding. He could sense the strange mix of anger and sadness that came across in those words.

He jogged across the bullpen to Terry, who was bent over his desk in frustration and who had a vein bulging on his forehead that looked on the verge of popping.

"What's up, sarge?"

Terry looked up from his desk and straightened himself up.

"It's Teddy's lawyer, she says he isn't going to answer anymore questions,"

Jake scoffed, 

"That's fine, we already have plenty of evidence and he confessed to being involved with the trafficking group. What's the problem?"

"She's saying he wasn't 'sound of mind' when in the interrogation room. She says that none of that will be valid in a court of law." 

Terry was wringing his hands and furrowing his brow as he spoke. A small bead of sweat was working it's way down his forehead. It took a far longer than the above average man's workout to get Terry to sweat, so Jake knew that this must be serious. 

"Well, that's just crazy!" 

Jake threw his hands in the air,

"But even if we can't use the confession, we have all those goddamn tapes. Which, in my opinion, are pretty fucking valid." 

Jake was starting to get pissed. Normally a case that was starting to get difficult would make him excited. The harder the case the more satisfying the win. But this was Amy. If he messes up, then her abductor will go free. This isn't a normal case, and Jake just wants it to be over.

"That's all well and good Jake, but we don't have any footage of Teddy."

A chill ran through the room.

"What?"

"We have the...initial video," Sarge cleared his throat and waited for Jake's reaction but he just stood looking dumbfounded and staring at the ground, trying to work something out,  
"But Teddy is not prominent in that. It was a miracle you spotted him, and he is only in the frame for a split second. We both know that doesn't do well in court."

"What about the video of Teddy questioning her?" Jake was frantic now. He had just had the rugged pulled from under him and he had landed flat on his ass. No wonder why Teddy was so smug.

"Just a highly modified voice, no face."

"What about the last video?"

"We know that it exists, or existed. But we haven't found the camera or the person who was filming. If we found them before the trial then it's a clean sweep, but-"

"But we have no clue where he is."

"Exactly,"

Silence

"God, Sarge." Jake put his head in his hands, "How did I screw up this bad?"

Sarge made his way quickly around his desk towards him  
"Jake! You did nothing wrong! Amy was going through some shit, okay? No one knew. Also, you do realise she is a detective too? She knows how to hide things."

"Sarge, that's not the point-"

Bzzzz

Jake's phone buzzed in his pocket,

"Sorry I gotta-"

He stepped away from Terry and looked down at his phone.

Amy.

He felt a wave of guilt hit him. He hadn't visited today and now he had more bad news for her. At least she got her letter. I guess that's one good thing Amy got over the last few days.

"Hey, Babe. I'm so sorry-"

"Jake, something happened."

He could hear the tiredness in her voice and the mix of frustration and fear. What had happened now? Was she hurt? Was someone forcing her to call him? what if-

"What- what happened? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine Jake, calm down." She fumbled with the phone for a minute and he could hear her muffled steps against the hard hospital floor.

"I got a package- oh- and thank you so much for the letter I'm going to keep it forever-"

"Ames, focus."

"Oh yeah, sorry. I got a package, it was this little wooden box and inside of it was this receipt."

"Receipt?" 

"It was a receipt for me." She kissed her front teeth, "As in, someone bought me,"

She said it bluntly. There was no point in trying to be sensitive of the situation or making it out to be better than it was. 

"For you?" Jake's voice faltered a little. So Teddy's confession is confirmed. The room slowly began to turn. 

"It had a price on it-"

"250,000" Jake finished

"Well, yeah. How did you know?"

"Teddy confessed to selling you to someone. He didn't say who. But there was a group of people. It was most likely someone you or me put away." Jake was in such a state he didn't even think of what telling Amy all the details could do to her. But then again, lying is what got them into this shit.

"Oh," 

She didn't even sound surprised. Jake cringed as he realised that this was not the most horrifying thing Amy had heard. She was used to this now. Dear God-

"On the other side of it said, 'You get what you paid for, and I paid.'"

Holy shit. Jake jolted awake. They knew where Amy was. But why not go and get her? Whoever is doing this sounds like a professional and we'll seasoned criminal. All of the best (is best the best word?) criminals know that if you actually want to go through with killing or abducting a person you don't threaten them, they are bound to go to the police, you just get them. Unless the person sending the package doenst actually want Amy? This doesn't make sense. 

"Okay, Ames me and the Sarge are on our way, I need you to stay on the line." 

He grabbed his coat and motioned a confused looking Terry towards the elevator.

"Just keep talking to me,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you are enjoying this story, I got a kind of strange request from someone on direct message on another writing platform about something to write and I think I might do it. It will be super dark but honestly I love the idea of it... Another request I got was to write a super fluffy peraltiago story. I was wondering if that interests anyone else? Because I am definitely doing the dark story but I should probably broaden my storytelling.


	12. Protection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you like this chapter, it's one of my favourites

Amy paced around her hospital room with her phone pressed to her ear. Jake was still on the other side but they had both stopped talking. All she could hear was his shuffle and movement in the car. He was on his way with Terry.  
Amy brought her hands up to her mouth and chewed on her nails.

"I'm so useless," she muttered under her breath.  
The hospital hadn't allowed her to have her gun with her to protect herself or to keep training at the gym so she didn't get rusty.  
As a result she was definitely not in top physical form and was very much vulnerable. Amy couldn't help but think was she always this reliant on Jake? Or was this a result of everything.

As she gnawed on her nails Amy glanced outside. She could just see over the badly kept hospital garden to the car park. 

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 

She counted in her head. No new cars. Scanning the metallic roofs of sunbeaten and rusted cars, Amy began to bite her lip. No new cars.

Of course that really meant nothing. They could've been here all night and are just waiting for an opportunity to grab her. It was just a little coping mechanism.

"Amy?" Jake called out, the phone giving his voice a slight mechanical tone.

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm here." She stopped pacing and waited to hear her instructions.

"Okay, so we need you to just stay there in your room. Don't do anything suspicious like pulling your blinds or hiding from the window."

She could hear Terry say something, "Yeah, good idea. Okay Ames, you're just going to sit on the bed and watch TV."

"That's it?

"That's it"

"But Jake, I'm a detective! I'm a sargent! I shouldn't have to be saved. I could get out of the hospital using some obscure route so if they follow me they'd get lost. Or I could defend myself using the-"

"No,"

There was a cold silence and Amy could feel her face heating up with mixture of frustration and embarrassment. Who was he to tell her what she could and couldn't do? And to tell her "no" like she was a child? What the hell?

"What do you mean 'no' ?" Amy could feel the anger in her voice rising.

"I mean that you are not leaving that room." Jake sighed

He's annoyed with you. Of course he's annoyed with you. Why don't you just agree to stay here and let him rescue you. You've gotten pretty good at that recently.

"I am your superior officer, Jake. And I don't give a damn if you're my fiance, I don't like when you talk to me like that."

"Look, it's the safest way to do this, you're injured and not at your strongest right now. Just don't stress about this. We just want you safe."

"Fine, but I'm hanging up. Bye"

"What? No! You will not hang up this-"

"Stop commanding me to do things. It looks suspicious that I've been on the phone to for a good 20 minutes now. I'll be fine."

"Amy, I really don't think-"

"I said, Goodbye,"

She hung up. Amy knew Jake wouldn't call back. That would be a new level of idiocy. But still maybe he would. Her hands lingered on the home button of her phone. But what would that prove? That they had become so co-dependent on eachother that spending five minutes apart was too difficult? That he cared? He obviously cared, maybe too much.

She glanced around the little room. It had one wardrobe in a corner, adjacent to the bed. The bed was positioned in the middle of a wall that faced the small caged TV. The wall opposite to the wardrobe was almost completely glass. It overlooked the garden. The walls were painted blue and the floorboards were a cedar light brown. 

Amy hated it. The hospital was trying too hard to be some sort of shitty hotel resort. They may as well have put a tiki bar in the corner.

But what she hated more was the fact that Jake had completely lost trust in her. She had this messed up experience that's now going to follow her for the rest of her life. She didn't need her future husband to be right behind that snapping at her heels like an over worked chihuahua.

She didn't have any control over the situation (how could she have done anything about a gang wanting her?) And she has no control over the situation now. No one will let her make up her own mind. No one will let her take action and no one will let her move on. Because they need to baby Amy. They feel like they are owed some form of release for the guilt they are feeling so instead of letting Amy move on they focus on making her suffer through it. Amy faced her demons when that bullet burst through her back, she doesn't need to again.

Maybe she could've done something about the texts, but it's embarrassing. Getting bullied like the nerd in school.  Amy was never bullied in school, but she wasn't widely liked either. The geeky girl in spotless clothes that was always prepared and ready for class. She had two friends, but neither were close enough for her to keep in contact after school ended. To be perfectly honest, Amy's first real friends were the nine nine. And even now she sometimes felt left out. Now because of obvious things like how being a seargant keeps her separate from them, but also from before. Gina never made any attempt to be friends outside of work. Rosa was so closed off and everyone else was friendly enough but they always made plans together and had little quirks and inside jokes, Amy sometimes felt like an outsider looking in. When Jake chose HER it was proof she was a part of this. But now, it's all different.

And anyway, she had tried to deal with the texts on her own. You know, like any normal adult. She blocked the number. But new numbers kept coming up. And she couldn't keep blocking numbers just to get a new one pop up with an even more vicious comment.

Just then there was movement. She could hear an engine. Amy looked over at the car park and saw a car pull up. Was that Jake's car? It was too far way to tell. No, wait. It was him. She could spot Jake and Terry's head bobbing over the wall of the garden. 

"Okay, coolcoolcoolcoolcoolcool." Amy whispered, "They're almost here. We're almost done. Almost gone. Don't fuck up in the last few minutes."

It slowly hit her that Amy had absolutely no idea what was about to happen. Was she being taken from the hospital? Or would she just have some sort of guard? Was she about to be taken from this hospital to a brand new one? 

A little tingle of hope rose in the pit of her stomach. Was she being taken home? 

It had been so long since she's seen her wonderful apartment. Slept next to her wonderful boyfriend or done anything normal. Oh god, how much she missed normal.

To be on the safe side Amy quickly packed up a bag of some essentials like clothes and a toothbrush. But she still hid it behind a chair, because there would be nothing more embarrassing than getting visibly excited to leave only to be told no. By her boyfriend. In front of her sargent. Her co-sargent.

While grabbing a t-shirt Amy glanced outside and saw Jake and Terry reach the entrance of the hospital. She couldn't help but smile.

 

"Jake, slow down."

Terry was struggling to keep up with Jake, who was speed walking through the hospital towards Amy's room.  
Terry could feel the guilt radiating off of him. Jake felt terrible about how the call with Amy ended. He just wants her safe, but he can't treat her like that. She's a human, she can't be controlled. Terry would never voice these opinions to Jake, he would never take them seriously, but if Jake doesn't slow down he might lose Amy to something other than a gang.

After a sharp corner they were at Amy's room, no one around except for a few nurses doing their rounds.

6 quick raps on the door let Amy know it's them.

1, 2, 3,  pause,  1, 2, 3,

She opened the door but walked away as soon as it was open.

No grand reunion for Jake, Terry thought.

"No disturbence or suspicious behaviour." She said curtly 

"Ames-"

"What's the plan" she cut him off

"The plan is that I apologize and you listen, Amy"

This caught her off guard. She thought he would just give up or get snide with her. This was new.

"Okay.." she replied.

Jake reached out towards Amy and she hesitated for a moment before holding out her hand for him to hold.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have tried to control you. But you have to understand the situation we have going on, babe. You were just abducted and now have someone trying to do it again. I just want you safe."

"I understand, it just feels like you think I'm incapable of handling anything because of this one mistake."

"Trust me, you are far more capable than I could ever be" Jake laughed a little while saying this.

"I'm sorry for being a bitch." Amy said and pulled Jake into a hug

"Me too" he whispered back. Amy chuckled into Jake's hoodie, "I just never want to loose you again."

She pulled away for a moment to look into his eyes and say, "you never will"

"Don't mean to interrupt, but let's get Amy out of here."

"I'm going?" Amy couldn't contain the excitement in her voice.

"Yes, now try not to be so happy about it" Terry smiled.

"I can't, it's not possible." Amy was beaming.

Jake took Amy's hand and led her out the door after she grabbed her bag.

He gave her hand a little squeeze.

They started making their way out of the hospital. Casually chatting and catching up with eachother until Amy started to notice a fourth set of footsteps. They echoed eerily behind them underneath their conversation. Don't jump to conclusions, Amy made herself rationalize it, wait a few minutes, then jump into action. And sure enough:

"Jake, don't stop walking. But there is someone who has been following us for the last five minutes," Amy whispered, "I can't be certain. Might just be a doctor. But we should split up and take obscure routes."

Sarge nodded. "You two take this next left and I'll go straight. Meet you in the carpark in ten." 

Jake could feel his pulse quicken but forced out a casual voice, "I'll call if we have any problems."

Amy and Jake then took the left turn and walked a little quicker.

"Still there," Amy could hear the stalkers footsteps creaking on the uneven floor.

Jake peaked behind him to double check, there was a man in a long leather jacket behind him. He was bald and had a pair of sunglasses on. His chin was rough and stubbled and his nose was crooked. He was staring at the ground while he walked but was unmistakeably following them.

"He looks like he's the baddie in a bad 90s spy movie"

Amy glanced back, "You could say that again." She pulled his arm in a new direction, "This way,"

They must've been walking for a good five minutes before the man behind them started getting faster. 

"Crap," Jake picked up the pace. 

"Crap, indeed" Amy returned. They had hit a dead end. The hallway stopped, on either side of the wall it led into two rooms.

"Should we go into one?" Jake panicked.

"Too late," a gruff voice behind them chuckled, "Now don't be stupid and do what I say."

For a brief moment there was silence, Jake turned around to look at the man and raised his hands. He put his gun on the floor and prepared himself for the negotiation of his life. But before he could even begin he was disrupted.

Amy spun on her heel and looked at him indignantly, "No,"

The man laughed and Jake's grip on her hand got tighter, "Babe, what are you doing.."

"Trust me,"

Amy released Jake's hand from hers and stepped towards the strangely dressed man. All Jake could do was stare in awe.

"What did you say to me, hun?" The man purred.

"I said, no."

The man in leather was getting visibly annoyed. He bit the side of his mouth.

"Now, I wanted to be nice. But you're being a real bitch. We're gonna have our work cut out disciplining you."

Jake saw red and took a step towards him, "What the hell did you say to her?" 

"Cool it, Jake."  Jake stood back and looked at her in shock. How was Amy being so calm? This guy was here to kidnap her, again. Why was she not freaking out? Her stance was confident. He mouth was curled into a cheeky smirk and her hands were placed on her hips.

Amy took another step close to him.  
"I don't think you want to try me."

He full on belly laughed. 

"What's a skinny little lady like yourself gonna do about it?"

She laughed back.

"This." 

Amy lunged on the man who was taken completely by suprise. He yelled as she tried to topple him. They were wrestling to knock eachother over. His grubby hands grubbed her T-shirt and her nails clawed his skin.

"Amy!" Jake called out and tried to get to her before something bad happened.

She was sick. And skinny. And not ready for combat like this. He couldn't let her do this alone.

Before Jake could even get close the strange leather wearing man jerked and pushed Amy backwards onto the door of one of the hospital rooms. It swung open and he kicked it closed when he got through. The force of it was too much for the weak frame of the door and the handle fell out of the latch.

"No!" Jake rushed to the door and tried desperately to jam the handle back in and open the door but it was no use.

He could hear the struggle inside and the wheezy breath of his girlfriend. 

She must be knocked out or something, Jake thought.

"I'm coming in!" He yelled but could feel his eyes prickle. What if he was too late again.  Why did he even bother being a cop if his girlfriend's confidence is enough to distract him from saving her.

He held up his gun and came crashing into the room.

"Hey, babe" Amy was sat on top of the stalker. He was on his belly on the floor with his hands restricted behind him by Amy. She was carefully searching for a gun or weapon with one hand and holding his wrists with her other. Not that he was in any state to escape. He was clearly concussed and had a stupid look of bewilderment on him. Bright red nail marks were scratched all over his body and face. He couldn't believe he had just been beaten down by Amy.

"What? But I-" Jake was speechless.

"Thought you needed to protect me."

Amy finished for him, "It's sweet that you want to do that. But I'm a grown woman. And a cop. So, while I like the offer and one day might have to take you up on it again, for right now I'm good." She was smirking.

"Not what I was going to say, but I get the point." 

"Good, now cuff this bastard."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope I managed to redeem Amy here, I don't want her to be a damsel in distress. Because she is a very strong and independent woman. Please let me know you you think this chapter needs changing or I need to add a scene. 
> 
> I'm kind of writing this while being in a sad place. My friends are all put having fun and they didn't invite me. I know I shouldnt be overly jealous, especially since last weekend I was out with two of them without the rest of the group, but this feels different. They had this groupchat for when they went to this concert ages ago and I think they use it to make plans but I'm not on it. I didnt want to go but now they won't shut up about the dumb convert and they are now the reason I hate a new celebrity (hi Shawn mendes) I just really wish that if they didn't want to be my friend they would tell me. This happened a lot last year but under different circumstances and I'm really scared that is going to happen again. We have a really big group so it's obvious when someone is being left out. Especially when the others decide to put it all over Snapchat :(


	13. Amazing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got my phone taken off me which is why this chapter is only out now :((

Amy was gently humming along to the tune of whatever song was playing on the radio. Jake couldn't tell. He was still in shock. He was driving himself, Terry and Amy back to the station. Oh. And also the man Amy had beaten up. 

Amy had beaten someone up.

And she hadn't needed any help.  
Would this have been as surprising before? Was he always this protective of her? 

Jake's mind was jumping back and forth. She didn't even look scared or affected in any way. She was sat in the passangers seat, and she was just being... Normal. There wasn't anything to comment on. She was just being herself, but was she always this calm and collected in these situations? Jake couldn't recall. She caught his eyes in the mirror, Amy smiled. He looked away quickly and focused on the road. Or tried to.

Terry was sat in the back next to their perp. Amy had offered to sit there but everyone agreed it was safer if she sat in the front with Jake. Even though he was unconscious, or dipping in and out of it, he was still a criminal that wanted to abduct Amy. She just shrugged and got into the front seat. Now up close he could see how strange he really looked. His face was indented with too many scars to count. His bald head more sued head than skin head. His t-shirt was speckled with what Jake hoped was ketchup. Definitely ketchup.

"Jake?" 

"Hmm," Jake snapped around to look at Amy who was staring at him, "You don't notice anything, do you?" 

"Are you okay, did something happen?" Jake's voice rose a little too high to seem calm.

"No! Jake! Please stop." She laughed at him, "I was just saying you missed the turnoff. We have to go back."

"Oh," Jake shook his head, "Oh right. Sorry."

"Stop stressing out, Jake. It's normally my job to do that."

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just difficult. So much has happened over the last few days. I haven't really let my guard down in a while."

"Well, then let it down," she flashed him a look. Something inside him stirred. Her bronze eyes latched on to him and for the first time in a while he could finally see Amy as something other than a damsel in distress. He could finally remember that she was a pretty badass and sexy detective. Soon to be sergeant.

When they stepped back into the station the response was as could be expected.

Charles ran to Amy and wouldn't let go of her until she said he was getting snot and tears in her hair.

Rosa gave her an awkward half hug half back pat. But also said she was pretty bummed when Amy was gone. But coming from Rosa, she may as well have broken down in front of Amy.

Terry stepped towards her as if to give Amy a hug then excused himself when his emotions rose too high and he had to go cry for a minute in the men's bathrooms. Well, he didn't say that but the tears rushing down his face as he sprinted away did.

Amy could have fainted when captain Holt came out of his office and offered his hand to her. A firm squeeze. Up down. Seperation. 

It was perfect.

Jake was still watching from a distance, not entirely sure what emotion was causing him to be so stand offish. Was he angry or sad or just plain confused? Was he even a little jealous? Maybe not of the attention she was getting but rather she was giving. They hadn't had a whole lot of time to get back to being.. well just being with eachother. If that makes any sense? 

Jake wanted to look after Amy. To keep her safe. He wanted to make sure nothing like this ever happened again. He wanted to nurse her back to health. He wanted to baby her. But that's selfish. He knows this. But he can't help but feel it. He should be making up for lost time.

Amy was in the middle of re telling the story of what had just gone down in the hospital to everyone. They sat there oohing and ahhing at how incredible she was. She really was incredible. How could you deny it?

But even though she was talking intently about this experience it would be a completely different thing about the other incident. That time wasn't like the most recent one. She hadn't been in control of her emotions or her actions. Although she hates to admit it, eating food really helped Amy to regress back into her old self.

But eating wouldn't turn back time. She could never un-live those experiences. Amy doubted that she could ever be herself again. She had put up walls again. She didn't want to be hurt again. Or watch anyone else she loved be hurt.

Jake walked behind Amy and out his hand on the small of her back. She flinched a little at the touch but turned around to look at him. He offered his hand and he lifted her up by it.  
"We have to start investigating now"

Amy knew this was happening. She knew about the danger to her life and how it was also important that the rest of Jimmy Figgis' gang were caught. But she didn't want Jake to be involved. Why did he have to be the one to jump in front of a bullet? Why was he always the one to offer up his life for the greater good? 

"Are you sure you want to be primary? This is really dangerous. And because of me you have a target on your head."

Jake didn't even blink, "No one else is going to be the one to bring them down. No one. I want to make sure they rot in jail for life."

Amy didn't like this new man Jake had become. He was hardened and harsh. He wasn't the soft, awkward and sweet man she knew before. No! Stop thinking like that. He was just going through a rough patch. Jake will be himself soon enough. Maybe he's right. Maybe he needs to be the one to do this. So he can finally move on.

Amy leant in and kissed him.  
"Just don't do anything stupid, okay? I need you with me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys definitely deserved a longer chapter but i'm going through some shit right now and I honestly can't write anymore. I promise the next chapter will be better and better, but for right now please accept this sad excuse for a filler.


	14. Unfortunate truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter should have been out a while ago and I apologize, but as I said in my last chapters I've been going through some crap and then piling exams on top of that really isn't helping. I'm trying to stay positive and I'm not asking for pity or for attention just that you guys understand my chapter posts will be all over the place until after I sort out my life, so for a pretty long time ahah

"Right, okay. Amy, um. I think that. Well, maybe you should-"

Amy was staring at Jake with an unimpressed look on her face. Arms crossed over her chest, one foot impatiently tapping on the floor.

"Jake, I love you, okay? But please spit it out."

Jake sighed, "I think you should go... Somewhere. I don't really know where.. definitely not our apartment. But somewhere." Jake was trying to maintain eye contact with Amy. To show how serious this was to him. She wasn't going anywhere that he didn't know about. She had to be safe. God, fear and over protection are such ugly emotions but they colour Jake like a children's book.

Amy wasn't shocked. She wasn't upset or angry. It was what was best. When she was working a case when people are being threatened, the ones that she has the most confidence she could track down the person threatening them were the ones that cooperated. She's never been on this side of a case before. It was scary. But it gave her a new lease on life. That she could survive anything. Nothing could really hurt her anymore.

I mean probably 

"I know."

Jake's mouth fell open but no words came out. He was expecting resistance.

"I was thinking the same. It would be dangerous to myself and the squad if I stayed here. But where to go is the question... Maybe witness protection?"

"NO" Jake said it just a tad too loud.  Almost everyone in the bullpen were subtly watching the couple from the corner of their eyes. Well, some not so subtly. Charles spun around in his chair and rested his chin in his hands as he stared in fascination.

"Come on," Jake grumbled and grabbed Amy by the wrist to pull her into the filing room.

She freaked for a minute. Amy pulled her hand away and glared at Jake with accusation and anger in her eyes. She pulled her arms over her body in a protective stance.

Jake stepped back and her look softened.

"Jake, I'm sorry I just got a bit.. I don't know, you did nothing wrong. Please, I'm so sorry."

"Amy don't you dare apologize to me again." He tenderly stepped forward and waited for her nod of approval before he pulled her into his arms.

"You are going through so much right now and I didn't think."

Amy sniffed and wiped her eyes before pulling away from Jake.

"So, I'm guessing you don't like the idea of witness protection."

"Definitely not. I know I'm part of the system that enforces it, but witness protection is a joke. Sure you get a house and some money but it's a new life. I wouldn't know where you are. And also Jimmy Figgis found me in witness protection. I don't see how this time would be any different."

"Okay, so that's a hard pass."

"I know a place" Jake and Amy both jumped.

"Damn Rosa! No need to sneak up on us!"

Rosa scoffed, "Sneak up on you? You're in the the filing room. I'm not sure if you noticed but we still have jobs to do? I'm not eavesdropping. Who do you think I am? Charles?" She started to leave.

"Wait!" Amy stepped towards Rosa, "You have a place I could go?

"Yeah, it's my old apartment. I still own it. And no one. I mean no one. Ever knew where I lived. I'm currently looking to rent it out and get some extra cash before selling it, but this is way more important."

"You're a saint, Rosa!" Jake ran up and wrapped his arms around her.

"Dude, this is super uncomfortable for me."

"I'm sorry. Too excited!"

Jake pulled away, "So, let's get Amy moved in right away!"

 

While Amy was packing up with Rosa Jake returned to the precinct. Teddy's lawyer was finally finished talking to Teddy about what he could and couldn't say. So Jake was allowed to question him.

"Okay jackass, here's what's gonna happen." Jake slammed the door shut behind him and leant on the table, "You are going to confess to abducting Amy, you'll tell me everything there is to know about the operation then I'll throw you in jail for life. Hows that sound?"

Teddy looked up at Jake and smiled, "Sounds great"

"Don't fight with me you son of a - wait what?"

"I said sounds great. I want to cooperate."

Jake could catch flies with his mouth at this point. But he quickly recovered.

"Yeah... obviously you do.. cause I am so goddamn terrifying.. that I..uh.. scared you...ahem"

Teddy ignored Jake's stuttering, "I'll start at the beginning. When Amy rejected my proposal. I'll admit, it was ill timed."

"You were on a double date with your current girlfriend, your ex and her new boyfriend. And you proposed... In front of us all. I'd say ill timed is an understatement."

"I was angry, Amy had never appreciated me. But I knew her weak spots. I knew her life story. I could use this information to end her"

Jake's stomach churned.

"So I concocted a plan,"

"Wait,wait, wait. What about Figgis? This isn't how your original story went-"

"Patience, Jake. My initial plan was to text her, anonymously, and threaten that I would kill you if she didn't break up with you after I had broken down her spirit for a few weeks. Then I would manipulate her into starving herself. Before long she would be so depressed all I would need to do was give her an idea."

Jake shook his head, "This doesn't make sense! You only did half of these things! And what sort of idea?!"

Teddy raised an eyebrow.

"Oh." Jake's shoulders slumped, "That sort of idea,"

"It wasn't foolproof. In fact I probably wouldn't have succeeded if I had tried it. I mean what would I text her? Go jump the bridge? No, it needed refining. But luckily Jimmy Figgis' men have been watching Amy for months and months before I had even started planning. That's how they found me." 

Jake was desperately trying to not bunch this guy in the face.

"Then we formed the second plan. The successful plan"

"It's not successful." Jake muttered

Teddy heard, "Maybe not yet, but -"

"I said the fucking plan wasn't successful, Amy is safe with me. No one is going to get her again, okay? Also, this doesn't line up with what you told me earlier, did you lie to an investigating police officer?"

Teddy smirked.

"You know what? Fuck you!" Jake roared, "I don't even understand why you're telling me this. No loyalty among thieves right? God, I have no words for how much I loathe you."

Teddy kept a straight face. "I'm telling you because I know I can't avoid the courthouse. I don't want to drag it out. And I'll get a lighter sentence because I helped. I mean rape will only have me away for 6 years top.. if I add the kidnapping to it it's still not overly significant-"

"I'm gonna make sure that your sentence drags out until you die. Do you know what they do to psychos like you in jail?"

"I need to continue the story."

"Fine!"Jake threw himself down on the chair opposite him.

"The guys on the team wanted to leave clues. So that you would grasp on to the idea that you could get her. They thought that giving you hope would be more torturous than taking Amy smoothly. That's why we took the videos and why we left the blouse. It's not standard procedure, but it worked."

"Well, you didn't count on me finding her did you?" 

Teddy didn't respond. He just glanced up at him, shrugged and got back to the story.

"Anyway, We set up a buyer. The guy looking for Amy was a real sicko. He said he wanted us to mess her up so that he could break her down easier."

"Mess her up?"

"He asked us to fuck her up and to beat her so she wouldn't put up a fight. In fact he was delighted when we told him she was desperately underweight, some sort of fetish I guess"

Jake could feel bile rise in his stomach.

"He wanted us to knock her out and put her into a dog cage and hand her off to some guys who would take her to him. He didn't leave a name. He told me that he would torture her so much that she would forget her entire past life and only remember him. He said he wanted her to fall in love with him and to marry her."

"How the fuck do you know these people?! Seriously! That is so dark! I don't even understand how a person like that can exist!" Jake was completely flustered, "Did he know who Amy was or was he just looking for someone from trafficking?"

"I have no clue. He just left us that message."

Jake got up and headed towards the door.

"No."

He spun around to look back at Teddy.

"There's something else."

"What else could there possibly be? I'm starting to think this is all fake! It's too crazy!"

"He asked me to tag her."

"Tag her?" 

"Like the thing they used to do to slaves and cows. With the iron rod that had a name or company on it. He asked me to stick the rod in a fire for a few hours then mark her with it on the lower back."

"That's a lead!" It will have his name on it. Or a symbol! This could be it!"

Jake rushed out if the room.

Teddy was left alone. For a while he held the same blank expression. Then he smiled sickly.

"He fell for it" Teddy whispered into the miniscule device hidden in his breast pocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment if you want me to continue, it's hard to find motivation when life is hitting you like a ten tone truck :((


	15. Don't stress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't anything special, I just think it sets up the next few chapters quite well.

Amy pulled her suitcase out of the taxi. The wheels hit the ground with a satisfying clunk and she started to pull it towards the building in front of her as Rosa paid the taxi driver.

It was a typical Brooklyn building; tall and imposing. But it was soft at the edges. Little veins of grass climb up the wall, flower boxes hung from every window and the red bricking reminded Amy of a crinkling fire instead of the normal danger, fire truck red.

"You didn't need to pay, Rosa,"

"Don't stress about it." 

"But, you're already doing too much! I mean giving me your old apartment and essentially hiding me from a gang... I think I can pay for my own taxi."

Rosa shrugged and looked down the street they were on. She was desperate to avoid eye contact. Giving Amy her apartment was the best way to lift this enormous weight of guilt off her chest. It wasn't gone just yet but it will be soon. Amy was safe and out of harm's way as long as she was here. No one would be able to find her. 

"I said don't stress about it," She crossed her arms but mustered a smile, "Come on, I'll show you around,"

 

Jake could feel his body slowly swaying back and forth. He was still stood outside the interrogation room. He had raced outside of there so quickly but once outside he was stumped. What did this mean? A secret buyer. A rogue gang with its leader behind bars. A damsel in distress (kind of, not really at all).  
Jake would have killed for a case like this before. But not now. Not when it was all surrounding Amy. Not when she was in so much danger it was difficult to breath. Just, not Amy.

 

"Damn, Rosa! This place is gorgeous."

Amy spun wildly around the open plan living room. It was a cream white with a black half-wall where the fireplace is. Wood was piled up in a little basket by the fireplace. A soft leather sofa was in the centre of the room in front of a not-to-be-sniffed-at sized TV.

"I know that you have a flair for decorating but this is a new level!"

Rosa smiled, she liked seeing Amy back to her normal self. i.e Very talkative and full of eager energy, but in a strangely refined way.

"Check out the rest of it, the master bedroom has a skylight."

"A SKYLIGHT?" Amy rushed off to check.

Rosa laughed at her eccentric friend and felt the weight melting off of her.

*BUZZ*

It was her phone, Jake.

"Hey man, what's up? Amy loves the place by the way. She's currently rushing about trying to pick her favourite spot-"

"Rosa." The voice was sad and distant.  
It made Rosa feel all kinds of uncomfortable.

"Yeah, Jake?"

"Teddy confessed to more things."

Rosa's blood ran cold.

"Please don't tell me something else has gone wrong amongst all of this?"

"No. I mean not really. It was basically just more detail on things we already knew. But it was...chilling, Rosa."

"Are you okay, dude?"

"I don't know. These people really want to hurt Amy. Like REALLY want to. It's just weird. I'll catch you up on it when you get back to the precinct- actually, Rosa? Do you think you could stay with Amy at the apartment until I come by after work?"

"Of course, man. I'm here for both of you."

"Thanks. I just don't want to leave Amy alone."

"That's fine. Don't even stress about it, Jake. I know everything will work out.  Just please stop being so upset... It's freaking me out."

Rosa paused for a minute, she hadn't meant to be so genuine and open about her fears. But there they were. Out in the open.

"I'm trying." The line went dead and Rosa sighed before putting her phone in her pocket.

"Rosa! You have a walk in closet?!" Amy's voice echoed down the hall. 

Rosa looked in the direction of the sound. It was clear that Jake didn't want Amy to know that he was upset. He wouldn't have called Rosa if he wanted to talk to Amy, so she swallowed and smiled and walked towards the oblivious Amy.

 

"You're certain they aren't suspicious?" His deep voice probed at Teddy through the listening device.

"I can't be certain, but-"

"I don't give a damn about it if you aren't 100% certain we won't be caught," the voice bellowed loudly, it made Teddy wince," You fucked up my mission once. You're lucky to be getting a 2nd chance." 

"But what about getting me out of here-"

"Right now you are of more use to me inside that station than you are out of it. And I'm still seething from your last little scheme, you don't want me to see you when I'm angry, capeesh?"

"Capeesh."

"Good, now gather as much intel as you can about this precinct and about that bitch's whereabouts. That crazy buyer has been on my back for days now about her and I want him gone."

"I thought we were done with Amy?" Teddy's voice quivered slightly, he was trying to be tough with his new boss but this new life didn't suit him.

"I am done with her. That why I want her gone forever along with this lunatic."

"Someone's coming, switching off now."

"You better make yourself indispensable before you get out of there. Otherwise, you'll have to deal with me"

"Roger that."

 

Rosa spent the rest of the day with Amy. Helping her unpack and arrange her things. (Then rearrange, then rearrange again, then again and again and-)

The conversation was light and breezy. No big topics. It was difficult for Rosa to even fathom a way that she could bring up something like that.

"Hey, not to invade your privacy or anything, but do you have a soul-crushing desire to be somewhat like me? Cause it's making me feel bad even though I can't even begin to imagine how you might feel right now! Ahahahaa! But really?"

Rosa could just picture the look on Amy's face. The way it turns deer in the headlights when she feels under pressure. It's strange, Amy will either completely thrive under pressure or will crack and collapse. No in-between.

"Hey, Rosa?"

She snapped around to look at Amy who stopped midway fluffing a cushion.

"Yeah, what? What's up? What's new? Why are you acting strange?"

Amy laugh-smiled, "I think you'll find its you being weird."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I'm just daydreaming."

"Rosa Diaz daydreaming? About what? Was it about you stabbing a defence attorney? Ooh I want to hear about it."

"No, of course not." Rosa rubbed her shoulder and laughed a little, "There's more to my personality than violence, you know?"

"I know, I was just- bad joke. Sorry"

"Don't stress about it. Want to go catch a movie?"

"Would love to, but we are on house arrest until Jake comes back, remember?"

"Oh, true, true, true. What about a movie from here? I should have some good ones hidden away."

"Oh, a good movie according to Rosa, I think we all know what that means..."

"Shut up, that woman is a genius."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I wrote the first chapter for an original story I'm doing...and I'm low-key very proud of it? It's about the town I live in called Derry (like the one in the movie "it" but it's in Ireland/Northern Ireland) and it's about if the "troubles" happened again. If you don't know what the troubles were it was basically when Catholics (the IRA, republicans) and protestants (orange men, British, unionists) were fighting on the streets and were killing people and eachother senselessly. It's written kind of strangely I guess but if you like this story I promise you will like that one. Please take a peek if you want :) writing it has helped me calm down a little.
> 
> EDIT: okay it has been far too long since I updated but trust me when I say the new chapter is coming soon. I have exams and things with added stress from my grandad dying and school just being shite in general. I hope you can forgive me!


	16. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I have been gone for a while but I hope you understand why I have:  
> My grandad died of cancer less than a year after my other grandad died with dementia  
> It happened right before my exams which I'm trying to study for  
> I had a sort of relapse into some bad mental health and bad coping habits which I'm trying to stop  
> My friends aren't really being good friends right now and there's nothing I can so that isn't great  
> Besides that I have no excuse for not posting   
> But I really like this chapter and I loved writing it so please bombard me with positivity in the comments cause I really need it :))

Escape routes are funny things. For some people they are used to escape bad things happening, like a fire or a robbery or maybe even a murderer. But for others it can be about escaping consequences, both metaphorical and real. 

A perfect example of both of these is Amy and Teddy.

Amy was at the apartment with Rosa as she explained how Amy could get away quickly and unnoticed if anything was to go down. 

"The stairwell that goes from the roof to the second floor, that's how you will get away. Its simple enough. The window leading to it is out of this room," she gestured to a room next to the bedroom, "It looks like a closet so it's not suspicious. You will climb out of there and go down the stairwell to the bottom. It doesn't go all the way to the ground so you'll have to jump. That shouldn't be a problem, will it?"

"Nope," She said it with confidence and tried to remove any doubts from her head . Amy glanced at the room, "What do I do once I get to the bottom,"

"Depends on the situation, I guess. I would sprint to the precinct where we can all protect you. But this is all hypothetical. It probably won't happen. So don't worry about it."

"Okay, cool." Amy smiled, "want to go out and get some food? I'm really craving something sweet."

Teddy on the other hand was planning his escape of the station.

The 99th precinct is the exact same as your old station. So out the interrogation room doors there will be a long hallway. On the left is the men's bathroom. You can hide in there if someone starts coming your way. But on the far right in the stairs. You have to go down a fair few flights of stairs but you can't stop for even a second or you'll be caught. Once out the doors get a taxi to the bus depot and disappear. But not fully. You have to keep in contact with Figgis. And his plans are much more important than this so don't fuck it up.

Teddy let his mind run riot with escape plots and routes. This one seemed the most sensible.

But it couldn't happen unless he managed to free himself from these goddamn cuffs. His "lawyer" was useless. It was one of Figgis' men, of course. He was meant to bring something to help snap the cuffs when no one was looking but all the idiot got was vaseline for his wrists and some freaking hair pins. He isn't Nancy Drew! What the hell was he supposed to do with those?

The only useful thing that hair brain left him was the advice to tell the truth to an extreme. He had let his imagination loose when coming up for a psycho that wanted Amy as a pet. 

Of course there wasn't buyer. What kind of idiot would try and sell a police officer on the black market? But Jake just ate it all up. The dog cage. The forced marriage. All of it.

And now he was trying to find the brander that was supposedly left at the warehouse while Teddy was fiddling with a hair pin. 

"Jesus Fucking Christ!" Teddy shouted at the mirrored wall, "Is this what my life's come to? I can't believe I let myself get involved in this shit! What, did I actually think I could-"

*Click*

Silence.  
He looked down at his wrists which no longer ached.

"What?" Teddy was breathless.

The cuffs fell free from his hands and the pin was imbedded in the keyhole of them.

"It worked?" He removed his hands from them and rubbed his wrists.

"Ugh, vaseline"

 

Jake and Charles were out trying to find some evidence in the warehouse.

It hadn't been declared a crime scene yet, it was a crime scene but it just didn't have the yellow tape or the detectives roaming around, trying to do their best to prove that this place had a purpose. 

Well. Apart from Jake and Charles.

All they had found so far were piles of guns. It was empty. There wasn't anything to tie anyone to anything.

"Jake, maybe we should call it a day.."

"No, Charles" a bead of sweat dripped down Jake's face as he heaved a wardrobe door open, "Tomorrow, when all the professionals arrive, the evidence could be tampered with. You know how smooth Jimmy is. He could have his men sent in dressed up. And that brander is the one thing that we can use to track down this buyer."

"That's not true! We could ask Teddy how he contacted them. We could catch another few of Jimmy's men if Teddy would just reveal a few names."

"Charles"

"I mean you saw how easy it was to make him cooperate, maybe he'll just drop a few names and-"

"Charles!"

Boyle's spun around to look at the wardrobe Jake just opened. It was mostly empty. Except for an array of saws and tasers.

"Jesus Christ"

Jake scanned the rusted tools, "Boyle, do you think this operation could run deeper than Amy? Maybe they had other people here as well. I mean these look used and Amy never mentioned anything about saws or tasers..."

"You never know." Boyle took a picture of them, "I think we may be on the cusp of revealing the Jimmy Figgis human trafficking ring."

 

Teddy was on his hands and knees in front of the door of the interrogation room.

"Come on, you did it once, you can do it again." The pin slid in his sweaty fingers but he persisted. Eventually the lock let out a satisfying click like before and the door was opened.

Teddy scanned outside before letting himself out and closing the door slowly beside him. 

"Okay, game plan" he kept close to the ground, breathing quietly and keeping a lookout for anything coming his way. He listened out for-

Footsteps. Shit.

Teddy lunged into the bathrooms and hurried into one of the stalls. He closed the stall door shut behind him and tried to calm his heartbeat and his breathing which both sounded deafening to him.

The footsteps followed him into the bathroom.

"You seriously think that?!"

"Damn right I do!"

"Come on, Earl. You think Santiago is going to be abducted again!"

"Look I never said that! I just think they're really messing up her case right now. Too many emotions are running wild. Not putting her into witness protection was a big mistake."

"She has a fiance. Of course she's not gonna leave to be on her own! Especially not after all that"

"Well, maybe she needs to."

The faucet was turned and screeched in response before letting the water splash out.

"I can't believe you spilt blue ink all over both of us as well, you're a real idiot."

"Whatever," Earl grumbled and dried his hands with a paper towel.

"Where is Amy right now anyway?"

"Diaz is giving her old apartment to her. I guess she's moving in. It isn't that far away from the precinct I think. Diaz said she would be back for lunch, I think the house is close to that bodega? You know, the one with the guy who has mad curly hair?"

"I guess it's good she's so close, to keep her safe. I never spoke to her before but she seems like a nice lady. I can't imagine what she and Peralta are going through."

"It's enough to make you sick. Now are you done? Holt will scream at us if we don't get our paper work finished."

The footsteps echoed away as the door of the bathrooms swung shut behind them.

"Thank you very much, Earl." Teddy smirked.

And, unfortunately, the rest of his escape was as easy as acquiring that information. No one noticed an innocent looking man walk out of the precinct, into a taxi, and gone.


	17. Bull's-eye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last exam is finished... That was an experience. This is my last year before GCSEs and I'm a little stressed. Summer is in 21 days though so it's all good. Please enjoy this chapter. Also the end is near for this story so please comment now what you want to happen if you have my strong opinions because this story is made for you by me. Not the other way around.

Jake stepped back into the precinct with Boyle on his heels. His steps whipped throughout the precinct and drew attention to his frustration and anger.

"That lying son of a bitch..."

Charles tried to keep up with Jake but couldn't time his footsteps right.

"Jakey, maybe it got taken away when the others tried to escape! Maybe we just didn't look hard enough I-"

"No, Boyle. He lied to us. We searched for three hours and found nothing. If they took the brander with them then that's that but I can tell he lied. He didn't give us a name. He didn't give any specifics about this guy except some long story about what he would do to Amy. He wanted to distract me with the idea of some sicko out there," Jake sighed, "and I fell for it"

"Okay, maybe. But why?"

"I have no idea"

When they walked into the bullpen they were greeted with empty desks and eerie silence.

"What the hell?" Jake jogged around the corner to check if the halls were empty too.

"Even Hitchcock and Skully are gone." 

Jake made his way back over to Charles.

"What's happening?"

"Crap! What if it's a bomb scare? Come on Jakey let's run!"

"What are you joking? If it's a bomb scare we need to be careful! Come on, get on the floor. We need to crouch and tiptoe out of here!"

"Good thinking Jake!"

The two men got down close to the floor and slowly started to push themselves towards the door. It took a surprising amount of effort to get to the door and when they were there they say a pair of legs wearing a blue suit.

"Shit, who is it?" Jake kept his head facing the floor as he wiped a bead of sweat off his brow.

"Peralta, what the damn hell are you doing?"

"Captain?!" Boyle and Jake popped up quicker than you could say bingpot and looked sheepishly at their commanding officer.

"Umm sir we were..."

"Messing around while we have an escaped criminal running around the streets of Brooklyn?"

"Escaped criminal?" Jake's mind was racing, what deranged murderer could be running around Brooklyn?

"Who was it? How did they get out? What did they do? How did we let this happen?" The questions spewed out of him.

"Peralta... I thought you knew" Holt's angry face softened and looked at Jake with pity in his eyes.

"Knew what?" Jake suddenly caught on, "No! No. No, this can't have happened. You let him get away?, Captain how could you!?"

"Jake, no one is to blame" he leaned over and held Peralta's shoulder.

Jake quickly shrugged him off, "You can say that all you want. But you let him go. You did that. I'm letting the blame sit on you." 

Jake rubbed his eyes and walked out of the double doors leading towards the stairs.

Charles didn't follow, "I'm sorry sir. He's going through a lot."

"I don't blame him, I made a foolish mistake by not thoroughly checking up on Teddy every once in a while. I too blame myself."

The Captain turned to leave as well, leaving Charles alone. Torn between helping his two friends while also attempting to keep himself together.

 

Teddy made his way through the crowded streets of New York. He had gotten his cab to leave him close to the subway. Once on the tube he planned his route. 

First go to a clothes shop and buy a whole new wardrobe.

Ahh! But with what money? 

He'll find something but in the mean time this would work. He turned his jacket inside out to show a black outer layer instead of the khaki green before. 

The train halted to a stop and people spilled out. While in the hsutle and bustle Wells grabbed a hat off someone's head and went in the opposite direction as the owner fought against the pull of the crowd to get to him.

It didn't make too big of a difference but it helped.

Now to get somewhere safe. In New York and Brooklyn everyone will be looking for him. He needs to get out of town and quick.

Teddy didn't slow down for a second he just kept pushing through everyone and apologising weakly under his breath.

But he forgot to account for one thing.

Jimmy.

Jimmy goddamn Figgis will be looking for him to return. And to have new information. What in god's name was he supposed to do?

Teddy quickly entered a shopping mall and went straight for the escalators.

Jimmy will want the exact location of Amy and on Jake.

He has half of that information.

Once on the 2nd floor he made his way to the Topman next to him and scoured for the cheapest and most unguarded place.

Maybe he should just leave and try to escape Jimmy.

A flannel shirt on sale for five dollars and some sunglasses for the same.

No that's suicide. Jimmy would skin him alive.

He slipped the sunglasses into his pocket and went to pay for the shirt.

Okay what if I just found him and explained what to do about Amy and then just left. He couldn't be mad then? Could he?

"Hi there" the lady at the till beamed at him, "is that all?"

"Uh yeah" Teddy kept his head buried in his shoulders and kept quiet.

She scanned it, "five dollars please"

He pretended to fish in his pocket for it, "oh crap," he acted out a face of anger. "I'm so sorry but I forgot my wallet, I can't get it"

"Oh that's okay, don't worry," she turned to put the shirt behind her.

"Oh, I can leave it back,"

"Your such a peach!" She handed it over.

Dumb bitch.

Teddy walked as fast as he could out of the shop when the register girl stopped watching him.

Maybe I just rejoin the gang. It wasn't that bad.

He stumbled towards the bathroom and put on the sunglasses.

Yeah, it wasn't that bad.

He turned the corner.

And anyway I still want that bitch dead.

And there she was. All alone. A perfectly wrapped present at the sweets kiosk. Tentatively picking a selection of bonbons and sour jellies.

Not a care in the world.

Amy.

"Bullseye"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops sorry I haven't updated in a while, my grandad died and I had exams all week so not a great writing time. Or maybe it is. Stress is supposed to help your creative brain but idk. Anyway this is complete crap but try to enjoy it. Also I'm having some friends problems so things are super tense for me right now and I'm trying to stay positive.  
> As always, please comment and tell me what I did right and what I did less right...


	18. Candy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who finally posted another chapter after two months of crippling mental health?  
> Yeah this chapter isn't great but I'm going to edit it and fix it so maybe if you want to read it now then come back to it later it will be better xxxxx
> 
> I should go into advertising I'm so good at this

Amy let her fingers trace over the blue bon bons and the pink liquorice. The sweet smell was intoxicating and it choked her.

She grabbed a paper bag and threw an assortment of sweets together. The bag crinkled in her hand and there was nothing more inviting. Jake would love the gesture. Amy knew that. But what if he made her try some? What of he made her eat them with him? It was a daunting feeling. But one she felt she could face. It was finally starting to look up.  
Amy glanced around. There was no one near her. Well, no one paying attention to her. She dipped her hand into the bag and swirled her hand amongst the sweets. Slowly she pulled out a yellow, lemon bon bon. The powder was coating her fingertips just from the motion of taking it out of the bag. Amy's mind screamed and her stomach churned. But it was difficult to disiffer if they wanted her to eat it or not. She brought it to her lips and it fell in. The tart lemon taste was shocking to say the least. And it made her shudder. But then the sourness melted into a sweet mush. The flavor twirled over in her mouth and she was tempted to pop another in.

"Hey! Hey, you!"

Amy spun around. The kiosk shop keeper was looking at her with an exasperated look. 

"You buy, then you eat. Not the other way around lady. Jeez you would think you would know that." He walked away from her but his stare still bore into her. Amy's cheeks blushed red. The bon bon seemed less appetising now. Slowly she let it fall from her lips. She wanted it to hit the ground. Then there would be absolutely nothing left to tempt her. She quietly binned the sweet and paid the man. Feeling a little numb from the experience.

There she is. She was right in front of him. Just within his grasp once again. But no dumb mistakes anymore. This isn't about making Jake suffer, it's about making sure Amy can't run her mouth and get Figgis caught. But, all the same, having Jake in agonising pain because he let his girlfriend disappear again. Well, that's too good to miss. 

She's walking towards the exit of the mall. Time to think of a plan.

You can't just grab her, where would you go? With who? And in what? 

Teddy darted across the mall to keep up with her. Keep your head down but your eyes up.

Call Jimmy. He can arrange everything. He can get everyone ready for another mission. Even in jail he has dangerous friends that owe him favours. It's all about Amy. But first, follow her. Find out where she is, then send a team in.

Rosa said she would meet Amy outside the post offices by the mall. She was uneasy about letting Amy out of sight but Amy was determined to do something by herself. And buying Jake candy within 200m of eachother doesn't seem like too much of a big deal. 

And there she is, leather jacket and all. Leaning against a white wall, eyes closed and has one earplug in. Gently nodding her head and tapping her doc martins.

Hey, ready to go?"  
Rosa opened her eyes, she didn't look surprised or happy or irritated. She just looked like it was vaguely interfering with her life. 

The Rosa that Amy knew was finally back. 

Fucking finally.

"Sure, you get your stuff? You were gone a while. My errend only took like ten minutes but still..."

 

"Yeah, got it sorted," she patted the brown paper bag, "Got all his favourites; bon bons, cherry suckers, sour ones that make his tongue bleed but he likes it cause he is beyond strange and..."

They started walking down the street towards the apartment. It was only a few blocks away.

"None for you?" Rosa tried to ask nonchalantly when Amy was finished describing the various sweets that made Jake Ill but she bought for him anyway.

She swallowed and forced a smile, "I actually had some. Not a lot, but some. And I felt fine about it."

"Well that's good." Rosa tried to hide the pride and joy in her face but failed not so miserably.

Teddy kept an even distance away and went over his plan again.  
Find where she lives.  
Stake out.  
Call Figgis.  
Figure out when who is in gb building at what times.  
At the perfect moment grab Amy and if she makes it too difficult shoot her.

Simple and perfect. Nothing to go wrong.

They turned a corner and her new apartment came into sight. It was nice. Don't get her wrong, Amy loved it, but it's still not home. It's better than the protection program but it was still foreign.

Her fingers laced the door handle. Why was she being so weird? But it was almost painful to open the door. Almost painful to lead a life like this. 

"Amy? You good?"

She sighed and pushed into the building. Leaving Rosa without an answer.

There it is. The place he was looking for. He had to admit, it wouldn't have even crossed his mind that this was the building she would be hiding in. But it is. And now she's caught.   
His fingers dialed for Figgis as he watched her enter the building.  
This bitch doesn't know whats coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoopdidoodle that was something to read anyway. 
> 
> Please comment. Cause I need emotional support
> 
> Also does anyone want to just ask me random questions? Like things like dog or cat etc in the comments? My Snapchat is dead cause my friends aren't bothered to snap me so yeah that would be nice.


	19. An explanation

Okay I am so sorry if you clicked on this thinking it would be another chapter. But I have to explain myself. Basically, it's summer.   
I was away for 2 weeks. With no WiFi.   
I want to make the last chapter (maybe two chapters for what I'm planning...) To be good. I don't want to drag the story out any longer, I need to address a lot of the issues I didn't focus on. Like Amy's eating disorder and rape rehabilitation. I really promise I have started on the next chapter and it's going well. I think I will have it published by, if not tomorrow, the day after that. So just to apologize.  
I'm sorry  
Also if you have the time, comment things you would like to happen or be explained in the finale please do xxx


	20. The almost end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fricking finally, am I right?

A week had past.

Amy stayed in the apartment for 85% of the time. She goes for a walk at 4pm on Tuesdays, Wednesday's and on Sundays but on a Monday she goes for a short run to the shop down the street from her and occasionally travels to the mall for a slightly elongated trip. But besides that, she's a sitting duck.

Teddy took great pleasure in documenting her every move. He loved to watch her try and move inconspicuously with no knowledge that he was watching her. The one person that it would be detrimental for her.

He had only seen inside the building twice. Once from the building's seller's website and the other from when he "helped" an elderly lady.

She waddled down the street dawning a crimson red raincoat and a Polka Dot umbrella in the Manhattan heat. Clumsily held to her side was a brown fake leather handbag, bulging with crossword puzzles and strange minty sweets. 

When Teddy saw her make her way towards the building he trailed behind her and expertly grabbed the bag without her noticing. Then he dropped it on the ground to add some dust to it and chased after her.

"Excuse me? Is this yours?" His big brown eyes looked at her softly and his mouth crinkled into a smile.

"Oh my! Yes it is! Thank you ever so much!" Her plump wrinkled hands grabbed it off him and she smiled brightly, but it soon turned to a confused frown, "But I do say, I can't recall dropping it, and I'm sure I had it a moment ago...."

"Do you live here?" Teddy turned to the apartment block

"Yes, I do."

"What a coincidence! I do too!" He placed his hands on his forehead in disbelief.

"Well, lead the way then." She chortled as she followed behind him, head of white curls bouncing up and down.

Once at the door Teddy repeated the charade from Topshop.

"Oh gosh! My keys! Where did I put them?" He grasped at his pockets and looked desperately to the old woman.

"I'm sure you just misplaced them, I'll let us in then." 

Manipulating people is too easy.

From the inside he was able to figure out that Amy must live somewhere on the upper floors. 

But where exactly?

And he got his answer.

The clip of heels was muffled at first, there was a carpet on the hardwood floors of this level. But soon it was right behind him. Teddy had been standing looking at the doors in the hall, feeling completely lost. There was no chance he could figure it out.

When he could no longer ignore the sound of heels Teddy dived into a janiters closet that was in a minor hallway some way away. The door wouldn't close completely, it awkwardly opened and closed while he grasped with now shaking fingers at the smooth wood to try and suction it in the room. But while doing this he peeked out and saw her.

Well he didn't actually see her. He saw her hair flick behind her as she ran into the apartment. But that was all he needed. Frantic and excited he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, dialed the number.

"I have her location. Let's get going today."

 

 

Jake walked into the precinct and a bag with something hard in it wacked into the back of his head.  
He went into full defence mode, swinging his hands and occasionally his legs around him while spinning in a circle.

"Dude, calm down." Rosa smirked at him.

Embarrassed, Jake flushed but tried to  regain confidence, "Well, maybe if you didn't hit with a sack of bricks I would be!"

"It's from Amy. She got you some candy."

Jake's interest was peeked at Amy's name and sky rocketed at candy.

"Yes! Bon bons?"

"Exclusively." Rosa was already bored of the conversation and sat down at her desk.

 

It only took 20 minutes for Teddy's men to arrive they stood outside the blue door. Adrenaline pumped in his brain and through his veins. Someone handed him an axe. He didn't know who. Didn't care. And he brought it down on the soft wood. The splintering was sex to Teddy's ears.

Amy heard the wood splinter from the bathroom and sprang into action. She raced to the landing and tried to   
Pry open the window to get out before spotting 2 white vans full of guys waiting outside. She would just be overpowered. It was hopeless. She had no control over the situation.

Except this time she was thinking clearly, this time she could deploy the proper measures.

Firstly she shoved a pair of scissors into her pockets. 

Wood splintered again as Teddy tried to widen the whole he made in the door.

Grabbing a pen she scrawled something onto the wall. Amy looked outside again. She continued to write on the wall. 

Now for the hard part.

Teddy pushed the ace through the door so hard it goes flying through the other side and hits the wall.

Figgis' men cheer but Teddy is silent. Eyes bulging as he reaches through the gaping hole in the door and unlocks the door.

Amy shuffles out the door and into the nearest bathroom. Maybe taking Liam Neeson's advice in Taken seems stupid, but as a cop Amy knows it's actually pretty sound advice. Her heart starts pounding and she can't stop herself from shaking. 

They were in the flat.

She quickly dives under the bed and uncaps the pen again. 

"Check everywhere," Teddy growled, "She's smart enough to try and escape, guard the doors and windows"

Amy squeezed her eyes shut and tried to keep back the tears that gave away her fear. All she could think about was Jake. Being out through this again. But he wasn't without clues. Big clues from her. And they better help.  
Otherwise....

The stomp of leather shoes on the squeaky, over polished wood was a sound that made Amy's body feel like it was coated in a think layer of ice. They're voices murmured too low for her to hear. From her angle she could see a few faces. Same as before. But a few new ones. A few people she recognised from the past. None of them friendly or welcoming.

The whispering stopped and Amy's eyes filled with tears again and her mouth with screams as she was dragged from under the bed. She held onto the pen and dragged it against the ground as she sobbed while being gagged. 

Eventually she was brought face to face with Teddy, who wiped a tear off her face before Amy felt something blunt hit her head and the warm blood oozing out as she collapsed into herself and the darkness.

 

Jake paced outside of Amy's building.

It was a longshot. But he had to try.

His fingers pressed on the assortment of candy in his bag. All types he liked to eat when he was sad or feeling a little lonely. Like a giant blanket they made him feel warm and cozy.

She probably didn't even like those types of sweets.

He swallowed and pushed down his pride. Even if she rejects them, and essentially him, he should try. It's for Amy. And anything to do with her is worth something.

Jake took the stairs so he could think of what to say. 

"Hey!! I brought you these"

"I know you like don't eat, but wanna eat?"

"You seemed a little upset and candy always helps me"

Eventually he just settled on being subtle and "returning the favour"

Jake stared into the bag as he turned the corner, not looking up from the chocolate and sugary treats. Maybe she doesn't even like these types. 

Shit, is she allergic to peanuts?

Jake stood for a while trying to remember. 

Fuck it, she won't eat it if she's allergic anyway.

He moved his hands forward to know on the door.

They went through it.

It's like when you think there is another step when there isn't, a sudden jolt of your heart.

His eyes shot up and the huge hole grinning at him with splinter teeth.

Please. No.

The sweets were abandoned. 

Jake rushed inside and started yelling.

"AMY! AMY? PLEASE, AMY?"

Frantically running from room to room no one was found.   
Amy was gone.

Jake screamed in anger and sunk to the floor. Tears escaped his eyes and sunk to his chin. He pulled his knees close to him and cradled himself on the floor. Slowly rocking himself.

But then, something out of the corner of his eye. A pen mark. It was long and scar shaped. Next to it was another.

Jake crawled towards it. There were lots, going in two directions, towards the door and towards the closet. 

Jake threw open the closet door and ran into it, looking around wildly.

There it was. Scrawled across the wall was a message.

Babe,   
I'm sorry you have to go througb this again. But I don't have time for goodbyes. The plates on the numbers if their vans are 018 JAB  and 472CJF  
That's all I know right now. Please follow - - -

Follow the lines. 

So he did. Jake followed them into the bedroom, where they led under the bed. He crawled under and saw the 2nd message.

Paul Brisbon  
Derek Cuf  
Mike Lide

Please be safe. I love you, whether you find me or not.

The pen led from there to the door. Where there was some blood splats on a coffee table next to the end of the lines. 

Miniscule. He couldn't have been able to find it without her. 

Amy was saving herself, she just needed Jake to realise it and do what he had to do to help. No more tears now. They've grown past it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like crying. That was a lot of effort. Im sorry if it's not good. Please comment. I need motivation and I'm not feeling too great rn.


	21. The end part two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god guys. I have been working on this chapter for so freaking long and to be honest im disappointed in myself for it taking so long. Also, this is not the last chapter anymore. I have one more. But this is a long one so enjoy.

Heavy eyes.

Amy pulled them open. 

She was sitting on the floor of a concrete room. The chill crept up her spine slowly and gently touched her shoulders. No windows or even a door.

She carefully assessed her situation. There was no way out at a glance but that was impossible. Even if there was no way out, there had to be a way in. 

The ground was cold but brought Amy to her senses. She looked up. A sharp pang attacked her head and sliced her senses. Through blurry eyes she found her hands and brought them to her head, or tried to. Her hands were chained to a hook that had been hammered to the ground. Without looking or feeling Amy could tell she was badly beat up. Her face felt like a cats favourite scratch post and her body was swollen and stuff to move.

But no blood. No trickling hot, red oozing down her face. Or leg.

The slow wave of relief.

But when looking up Amy had noticed something in the corner to her left.  
She peeked upwards, careful and delicately this time.

A slab of wood. It was hiding a hole. Half heartedly painted grey, it still revealed the grain of the wood and some light was shining through. The hole was big enough to drop her through. 

But that doesn't make sense, someone else had to come down and tie her up, how would they get out? Maybe they used a rope ladder. Or they pulled down a small set of steps then brought them back up with them.

Whatever it was, it wasn't down here with her. So as Amy slumped down against the wall her thoughts returned to Jake. 

She hoped beyond hope that he had found her message and knew what he had to do. Because she was here. Jake was there. And there was someone above her making loud footsteps. 

 

"Jake, what the damn hell do you mean?" Terry put out his hand to stop his friend from pacing but he just brushed him off.

"I mean that Amy is gone. She left a message and a lot to go on. But I don't know if it will be enough."

Rosa looked up from where she was sitting. The whole of the precinct was sat in the small detectives break room. Her heart was pumping and adrenaline coursed through her. She was pumped up on anger and ready to release it.

"What did she leave?"

"A couple of number plates and a description of the people. A few names as well."

Charles spoke up, "Okay, well, we'll get Gina to check out the number plates-"

"Already on it," she scurried out of the room dialing a number on her phone. She didn't want to make a scene but she had to leave, this was all getting a bit too much.

"I will look the names up on the system and Terry will try and find some perps that match the description from the files."

Jake looked up, he wasn't feeling as desperate as he did last time. But that worried him even more, he couldn't get cocky, that could be the difference between life and death.

"Perfect, I'll run between the two of you to make sure we're on the right track,"

Terry sighed, "Sounds good,"

He jogged out of the room with Charles, leaving Jake alone with Captain Holt.

For a moment if was quiet, Jake fidgeted with his jacket and made to leave. But not before he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

Jake turned around and was pulled into captain Holt's arms. At first the embrace was stiff but then Jake allowed himself to hug back. He could smell the strong smell of a freshly starched suit of captain Holt's shoulders.

"I just want to let you know, it's all going to be fine."

Jake smiled sadly and pulled away, "You can't guarantee that."

"I can't, but I will. Because no one that works for me will do anything but work this case until Amy's found."

He rubbed his neck, "That's great but we probably have a day max before they move out or... Or do something worse."

"We'll find her, and that's a promise I'll never take back." Holt stared at Jake with confidence in his eyes. Jake awkwardly looked away and made his way out without saying anything.

 

"Okay, Teddy. You want to go down?"

The guard looked up at him. He was young, too young to be here. He was probably a brother or a family member who needed some cash. That's all it takes to get stuck in this life. Teddy wondered for a moment if this kid would ever get out.

"Um, dude? You good?"

Teddy snapped back, "Yeah, fine. Now open up."

The door creaked open and scraped against the wooden floor that was falling away underneath them.

He knew where the latch to the trapdoor was and wasted no time. It swung open easily. To his left was a rope ladder, he attached led it to a hidden hook on the trap door and started the descent. The rope was sturdy but Teddy couldn't help but wonder if it would hold his weight.

He out his foot down on the hard concrete floor and felt the immediate chill in the air. There must be a draught. He turned around and saw Amy already sneering at him.

"Nice to see you too."

She stayed silent.

He didn't know what to say. He wasn't going to tell her what they were going to do. That would completely torch the plan. For all he knew she had a bug on her and Holt would be sat in his office listening to whole thing. Wasn't much to tell anyway. They were leaving at 4am. But not Amy. They were going to cement shut the trap door and let her starve to death.   
But Teddy thought it was best to let her stay in blissful ignorance of her fate.

She spat on the floor as he walked closer.

Even if he wanted to see the look of fear on her face. So, damn, badly.

"Cool digs, right?" He said cooly, ignoring the look on her face, "We made it just for you."

Amy sucked her teeth.

"No comment, huh? Well, I just came down here to say goodbye anyway." He turned to leave.

"Goodbye?" Amy forced out. Her voice was weak and she felt as though there was straw stuck in her throat, "What do you mean?"

Teddy didn't turn around, he just stopped walking away, "I was just saying goodbye"

Amy sat dumbfounded as he climbed back up the ladder and closed the door again. Where the hell did he think he was going?

 

"Jake!" 

Terry had been searching for the past twenty minutes through the files for anyone that could match the description. He was going off of the pictures of the perps Amy had named, they were all suspects, obviously, but someone that looked like them could've done it. And it pays to get the information ahead of time. See who they work with and who they dislike. Someone in a rival gang might be willing to spill their guts for a good price. 

But then he found out that all of the men Amy had noted have been seen out together in the last month. Only twice but it was a lead. 

Jack ran into the room red faced, for a moment Terry felt awful. His fiance was gone for a second time and he was being forced to run in-between two men who would scream at him to come at the smallest clue.

But he quickly pushed it aside. More important things to worry about.

After explaining it to Jake he stood silent for a minute. 

"Bring up the pictures of them together,"

Jake stood studying them for a while, one was at a French style cafe which was run down with sickly yellow paint that was peeling off and bright lights illuminating the building made it worse.

The second was on a pier, the water was choppy and a salty spray of water was being sent flying into the air at the exact moment the picture was taken.

Jake hoped it had hit them and given them some sort of terminal illness.

But then he stopped and lept for joy, "I know it! I know it! Goddamn Terry I know it!"

"What?" Terry stood up and started jumping around wildly with Jake. They both squealed and ran about the place like they were on speed.

It attracted Gina and Charle's attention.

"Now, what do we have here?" Gina leant on the door frame and looked down her nose.

"We have a lead!" Terry yelled and ran towards her to give a hug but Gina pushed past him and stood in-between Jake and a very confused Terry.

"Oh do you?" She said quietly

"Um, yeah I do" Terry gave Gina a look, "Why are you not happy?"

"Eh, I guess then you don't need my amazing lead as well then"   
She made to leave but was hounded by Jake and Charles pulling her by the arms back into the room and smiled.

"I found the cars and several cameras spotted them parked 10 miles away."

"Oh my god!" Charles shrieked from the corner, "That has to be one of our fastest solves ever"

Everyone trembled with excitement, no one more than Jake.

"Let's go,"

 

Amy collapsed onto the icy ground. She shivered and looked at her bloody hands. No amount of pulling and punching and scratching could pry her fingers out. She could tell her hands would be swollen and blue for a week. Hopefully.

No one had come in since Teddy, where he had gone she had absolutely no idea but at that moment she couldn't have cared less. She shivered and pushed herself up. The light in the room was dim but it let her see how oddly clean her surroundings were. If Teddy was telling the truth and they had dug out and built this torture cave just for her then it was no wonder there wasn't a speck of dirt. Well, besides the dust that would fall down when someone above her would walk on the wooden floorboards.

Amy wasn't scared anymore. That was the thing. She just wanted it to be over. If that meant she would be let free and able to live out her days with Jake then amazing. If it meant she died, at least it was over. 

Above her head cement was being prepared. The mixture churning around with its grey tendrils falling out and onto the floor. The young man watching it spin looked below himself for a moment and wondered how this young woman found herself in this position. Like himself, she was trapped. And will remain like that until their dying days.

Jake sat in the front seat of the car, knee bobbing up and his hands in his hair. Holt was driving, he insisted. The rest of the group were to meet them there in a different car.

"Peralta?"

No response.

"Jake.."

Radio silence.

"Jacob Peralta, talk to me,"

"What do you want from me?"

The voice was flat and small with the same amount of anger that a dandelion could possess.

"I just want to know how you're coping." 

Jake snorted and leant back on the car seat, "Incredibly, sir."

"No need for sarcasm,"

"Well, why not? Nothing in my life seems to be stable except for my sense of humour."

Holt sighed as he turned a corner, "Jake, this will all turn out fine, okay? Just like last time."

"No. We got lucky last time. So amazingly lucky. No man is that lucky,"

"Well, I hate to break it to you peralta but your logic makes no sense because no man is that unlucky and you've had your fiance kidnapped twice."

Jake suppressed a smile, "Whatever you say,"

The cement had been poured and smoothened. Amy sat in the pitch darkness floating in and out of sleep. Fans were set up to help it harden faster. There were only a few men left to leave, one of them has just organised for someone to come and lay down wooden planks over the top in two weeks. Hopefully Amy would be dead by then and no one would ever find a trace. The only flaw in the plan was if the smell became unbearable, but that problem won't arose until everyone else is gone.

Slowly, the last few men pulled out of the drive, tarmac and pebbled crunched and crackled under the weight of the vans and they slipped out of sight. 

For Amy, all this happened early in the morning. Because Jake and everyone else worked through the night until 6am; but she was under a layer of cement by 3.

In the dark life is different. Time has no meaning anymore. It's like when your a child and you play hide and seek. You find the perfect spot in a wardrobe pressed right up to the back and you can feel the cold wood of it chill you. For good measure you pull the clothes off the hangers above you and let them snow down onto you. Eventually you begin to think that everyone has forgotten you and abandoned you so you sink further into the soft clothes and hope no one's ever finds you as your drowsiness puts you in a strange dreamlike state.

Then the door opens and you've been found in five minutes.

Imagine that for three hours and you could possibly feel a fragment of what Amy was feeling.

Rosa walked over to Jake and Holt's car. She knocked quietly on the window and leant down to whisper in the cracked open glass.

"What's the plan?"

They were parked outside a building that was for sale. It was a normal little surburbia but with pain buckets and ladders and other equipment littered around the premises. 

"It looks pretty dead, I think we should go in standard protocol and keep our wits about us." Holt nodded and Rosa jogged back over to get everyone else out of the cars. 

Jake inhaled and exhaled deeply before unlocking the car door and gesturing for the rest to follow. 

The house smelled of fumes and new cars. A strange mix achieved by freshly painted walls and plastic wrapped leather sofas. 

"I don't see a soul, Jake," Charles murmured and pushed to be beside him, "Are we sure this is it?"

"Positive,"   No.

They pushed forwards down the stairs, which didn't creak like old worn in stairs would. They squeaked and the noise was deafening.

Teddy rounded the corner and pulled out onto the highway, he was heading to the airport and was making good time. His black SUV glinted under the sun and his hair was matted down with sweat. The stress of this situation had overturned everything. He didn't feel guilt, but a longing for this all to be over. For Amy to be imprisoned in her cement jail for eternity and for Jacob to wander the planet lonely until he dropped dead too.

It was already completed, he had finished the task. Life was good and he was free. But anxiety crested on him and rolled his legs until they were jelly. Bouncing up and down fervently while he navigated his show to find the acceleration. God, if he wasn't caught and shot then the stress would kill him first.


	22. The actual end

Down in her personal cell Amy started to contemplate what would happen if she did die down here. She would surely rot a lot faster in her damp prison and the smell would fester with her body until the stench would alert someone that she was down here. But by then her face will have sunken in. Eyes dried out and skeletal bones protruding out.

She stifled a laugh. 

Only a while ago would that statement have brought her some comfort. But god, how wrong she was. Because self worth isn't dependant on making yourself as small as possible. That defeats the purpose. Self worth is fully rested on your own shoulders. Words will make the weight heavier and vice versa but it's always you who decides what happens to your self worth. Because even in awful cases of depression and anxiety, where there seems to be nothing to be done, you always have to take the first step. Which could be to anywhere, anything. Maybe you tell someone how you feel. Maybe you call a helpline. Maybe you literally just decide to take a walk. It's always going to help. And after that it gets easier. And before you know it you have teams of people helping you along the way. 

Because that's what happens. There's always going to be someone who cares.

And for most people it will be so many people. More than you could ever imagine. 

Amy had that. Amy could never lose that. 

"Where the hell is Amy?" Terry spun around and threw his hands in the air.

"Damnit Terry, do you think we would be doing this if I knew?!" Charles started yelling. Obscene words and grotesque gestures were thrown about. Terry squared up to Charles and was so close he could have spit on him, which he looked close to.

"I don't need being yelled by a tiny man right now! I'm in a very upsetting situation!"

"We All are Terry! You aren't special!"

"Shut up, the pair of you!" Rosa hissed, "Don't try and pretend this is half as bad for you as it is for Jake."

They both glanced at Jake who was muttering to himself with his head pressed against the cool wall. Shamefully the lowered their heads.

"Thank you." Rosa muttered.

Maybe there was a way for Amy to signal someome she was here. Maybe she could find a pipe that ran through a neighbouring house and she could shake it until the investigate the noise. But it was too dark to see if there was a pipe in her cell and if there was she would have noticed it by now.  

Amy kept thinking in the dark

"Jake, we're going to check upstairs and Boyle's gonna look outside. That sound good?"

"Yeah. Yeah fine." He didn't even look up, just kept his eyes screwed shut, deep in thought.

Rosa felt uncomfortable leaving him like this. But there wasn't much else to do.

Jake took a clumsy step towards the basement again. It was the only room he felt they would have kept her-classic kidnapping technique. But everytime he opened the door he was greeted to freshly cemented floors and no Amy. It didn't make sense. She was somewhere in this house. She had to be.

Amy thought about grinding her chains away slowly everyday, wearing them down thin enough to snap. But by the time she could snap them- well she wouldnt live that long anyway but by that time if she had miraculously survived then maybe her bones would snap instead. Everything was far too complicated.  
Finally feeling the numbness to her situation melt away her eyes grew dry and stung. She tried to rub them but felt her limbs being held back. Finally Amy screamed in agonising frustration.

What was that?"

"Jake, what was what?" Rosa asked.

"That scream..." He began to walk tentatively on the freshly coated cement. Leaving footprints.

"I think i heard it too." Terry followed not far behind.

Amy felt the walls shake slightly at the weight on the ceiling. Was that someone?

Then she heard it, a softly spoken question.

"Amy?" Jake barely breathed.

"Jake!" A surge of energy rose in her. "Jake! I'm here!"

"Thats her! She's here! She's..." Charles spun around,"Where is she?"

"I'm under here!" Amy jumped forward and started making as much noise as possible. Stomping her feet, clapping her hands and yelling.

"I'm here!" 

Relief flooded Jake's mind. It made him feel light headed to say the least.

"Stay here!" He yelled at the confused group stomping on the floor as he sprinted out of the room.

"What in the world is he doing?"

He raced through the kitchen and out the back. Crashing into kitchen counter tops and banging into door frames. Finally he burst through the back door and into the garden, Spying a shed he ran towards it and kicked through the door. Inside he saw nothing. No one lived here yet, of course there was nothing here. He muttered in frustration but upon turning around saw a building site that wasn't quite finished yet. And lying glinting in the light was a large hammer.

"ARGHHHH" 

"What in the world..." Terry turned around just in time to see Jake rip through the door weilding a hammer.

"Holy shit, man!" He shoved the rest of the group out of the way as Jake smashed the hammer down onto the ground, crumbling the cheap concrete.

"Woah" Amy dived out of the way of a falling piece of ceiling. It landed directly on her chains and she was suddenly cut free.

"Again!" Charles cheered.

The wall was slowly falling down and a hole was becoming bigger and bigger until he could see right through to the underground cell.

"Jake." Amy breathed out and stepped into view. It was the one thing that stopped Jake from launching himself into another strike on the ground.

"Did you miss me?" She laughed.

"More than anything." And he reached down to pull her up.

Teddy dropped his bags off with the airport staff and casually walked through security. Head bent down and shoulders relaxed. He would look 100% normal. And innocent.

His flight left in 30 minutes, and irritatingly "just out of grasp" length of time. He leant against the wall and watched the seconds tick away on the clock, jaw clenched. His eyes were dry and hurt but he couldn't pull himself away. 

Then out of the corner of his eye he saw a finger point accusingly across the room. A finger guiding the airport police to a suspicious character.  
Pointing at him.

Jake heaved Amy up out of the ground and spun around, arms open wide and grinning. But she wasn't there. She was speeding up the stairs and yelling back at them to hurry up or she would take down Teddy by herself and have all the fun.

"Woah, there." Jake caught up and grabbed Amy by the hand. She spun around irritated.

"I know we're in a rush but a little hug at least would be nice," he joked.

"I thought you were getting used to it." Amy didn't seem amused, " We have a time limit. And we're already battling the odds. I don't want to shrink our chances any further."

"Fair enough. Just let me help."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. 

As Teddy sped around the corner he briefly considered making a move for the exit. But that would disrupt everything. He just needed to get on a plane, Any plane, and he would be fine. More than fine. He could leave behind this world of destruction he created and pretend it never happened. Even if he was leaving others in it.

His foot caught on uneven bit of floor and he only managed to prevent himself from landing face first on the ground. This day was getting more and more vexing.  

"He'll be at the airport. I know it!" Amy yelled as she jumped into the drivers seat. The others scrambled to squeeze into the car before she raced away.  

"But he could be long gone by now. Shouldn't we call someone internationally?" 

"Yes. Definitely. Good thinking, Charles" Amy turned a corner and the whole car tipped for a stomach lurching moment. "Call Holt and tell him to call interpol. We need to know all the flights that left brooklyn recently."

"Shit" He turned another corner to be faced with a wall of security. And produced a gun. Someone screamed and everyone dived to the ground.

"So much for subtly"

Gun still raised, Teddy pointed it at a guard and shot him in the shoulder.

"I'm not messing around! Just stay out of my way!"

Flight leaves in twelve minutes he noted as he saw a clock. Time to get out of here.

"Just stay away!"

The wounded guard stood surrounded by other security who tried to apply pressure to the wound and stop the bleeding that never seemed to cease.

"Lets go." 

They stood outside the airport, armed to the teeth. No point in taking chances.

They breezed through security and Terry convinced the left over guards they were here to help. Charles stayed behind. He had some medical training and was assisting the airport nurses in treating the wounded man.

After asking some people for help Jake deducted that he was making a run for his gate. 

"It's gate 12a." Rosa yelled as she started to run in that direction. "Apparently he changed his mind about another flight and made a last minutes flight change according to the secretary."

Amy's throat burned and she could taste metal. The thick wave of nerves slammed into her and made her shiver, her hands shake. Jake saw her gun quiver and looked at Amy. She was anxious but more than that she was angry. When she saw him looking he smiled and nodded. It helped to settle her nerves.

But then he was there. Just standing there. With a gun pressed against the head of an airport staff member who was shaking so much Jake thought the man might cry. The other people waiting for their flights were pressed stomachs down on the ground. Some children were sobbing and other whimpered helplessly into the ground.

"Step away from him." Amy stared Teddy in the eye and didnt break contact until he raised the gun slightly and aimed it to her right.

To Jake. 

"No!" Amy tried to stand in front of him but felt herself land on her back on the floor. He head smacked the table behind her and she couldn't focus.

"Jake? No."

He throat scratched and she desperately looked for him. Tried to assure herself that her worst nightmares hadn't just come true. But when she finally crawled to her knees and could see clearly she saw Jake on his hands and knees- craddling Rosa. Who was slick with her own blood.

"You monster!" Amy shrieked. She trained her gun on Teddy's head.

"Believe me. I wish it had hit him." He growled.

"Oh you bastard!" She took a step closer only to see him dig his gun further into the man's temple.

"Don't test me."

"No!" Amy gritted her teeth," You are the one who needs to be careful here. You did everything to ruin my life! You tried to strip me of every pride I had. You will pay for everything. And you will deserve more."

Then, Amy grabbed something in her pocket and threw it in Teddy's face. Him and the man spluttered as they spat out the dust but it gave Amy enough time to spin behind them and kick Teddy to the floor. The man slipped from his grasp and Teddy lay on the ground. Still.

But just to be certain. 

Bang. 

Amy shot him in the leg.

"No more escapes for you." She muttered. 

Through the eerie new quiet Amy raced to Jake's side and looked at Rosa. She was gritting her teeth and moaning in pain. But it was better than her lying still.

"Just hang on. It's all over now." Jake whispered.

And then it hit. All over. No more. The torture was over.

But Amy decided right then and there this was a million times worse. Watching Rosa go through this was enough to push everything else to the back of her head. 

Charles sprinted over and started treating Rosa as the rest of security lifted Teddy and put him in cuffs. As Charles cleaned her Amy could see that the bullet had grazed her hip and buried itself in her elbow. Any time she moved her arm it was excruciating.

But after ten minutes of bandages it was clear she would live. But with some gnarly scares.

As Jake and Amy watched the ambulance pull away with Rosa secure inside. Jake pulled her in close. "Are we finally out of the woods now?"

"I think we are. But I don't think we'll ever be able to forget them."

Jake turned Amy around to face him. "Now that he is well and truly gone it's time to focus on you. I want us to do therapy. We can do it together and separate. Whatever you want."

Amy looked away, "I don't know-"

"No."

Amy was suprised. "No?"

"No. No. No and No."

"What?"

"I'm sorrh but you need this. Some motivational moment or defeating a villain does not fix all the damage done. You need this. And you're going."

"You're right. I'll go."

"Wow. Wow. Wow. I should have recorded that" Jake faked shock.

"You are so hilarious." Amy poked him.

He smiled a toothy grin and pulled her into a kiss. They had a long journey still left to go. But they were starting out strong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn. I finally finished. I didn't think i ever would. It took two months to squeeze out this chapter and it is certainly not my best work. But its all over now. But also, i want to say i first started this book at a rough time. And looking back i cannot believe some of the things i wrote. I mishandled so much but i hope you know that i undertand that. But i can't keep writing this. It makes me upset to write and i need something new. But thank you to anyone who read this or gave it a chance xxxx

**Author's Note:**

> Please critique me in the comments! I'm always looking to improve.


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